Movement for Democratic Change Leader Morgan Tsvangirai Snubs President Thabo Mbeki

Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Morgan Tsvangirai on Sunday snubbed President Thabo Mbeki by failing to turn up for his first face-to-face meeting with Robert Mugabe.

Presidency spokesperson Mukoni Ratshitanga said the historic meeting was to have taken place at Mugabe’s official residence, State House, in Harare. Mbeki flew to Harare yesterday morning after Tsvangirai had apparently agreed to the meeting.

Mbeki arrived in Harare but Tsvangirai could not be reached. He did not turn up for the meeting and his phone was switched off.

Ratshitanga said Mbeki then met Mugabe and the leader of the breakaway MDC faction, Arthur Mutambara, MDC secretary-general Welshman Ncube and deputy secretary-general Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga.

Mbeki had interrupted a busy schedule to travel to Harare. He returned home and immediately left for the G8 summit in Japan.

Tsvangirai’s spokesperson, George Sibotshiwe, said the MDC leader had not attended the meeting because Mbeki had “ambushed” them by taking the meeting to State House, the official residence, when Mugabe was not the legitimate president. He further said the meeting was grandstanding on the part of Mbeki, who wanted to go the G8 summit with a “trophy” or some sign of progress.

He said Tsvangirai was also displeased with the MDC faction that attended the meeting. He said the meeting should have included only himself, Mugabe and Mbeki – “no third parties”.

The meeting was supposed to break the ice, bringing the two antagonists together for the first time. This would have had a huge effect on public confidence in the future of talks.

Moreover, the meeting would also have established the ground rules for talks to create a combined governmental structure to run Zimbabwe following the elections in March that saw the MDC winning the most seats in parliament. Tsvangirai also garnered more votes than Mugabe for the presidency but fell short of the threshold set by law, leading to the farcical one-man run-off last month.

Earlier this week the African Union gave Mbeki the thumbs-up to continue mediation on behalf of the leaders of southern Africa, and called for the creation of a government of national unity.

The MDC has called for the expansion of the mediation team and for a transitional authority to prepare for another election.

Source African Press Agency

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