Zimbabwe Envoy Negotiates Fate of Chinese Arms Ship with Angola

The Zimbabwe government has launched a diplomatic initiative to rescue its arms stuck on a Chinese ship currently docked at an Angolan port, reliable sources told APA on Monday.

Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe is believed to have sent his rural housing minister and ZANU PF secretary for legal affairs, Emmerson Mnangagwa, to negotiate with Angolan President Eduardo do Santos for assistance in offloading the arms from the ship.

“Mugabe is determined to rescue the controversial arms shipment and wants dos Santos’ help in getting the arms off-loaded and moved to Harare,” the source said.

The Chinese ship has caused a diplomatic furore in southern Africa after port workers in South Africa refused to offload the arms shipment.

Mozambique and Namibia also denied the ship permission to dock on its waters, while Zambia’s President Levy Mwanawasa urged other African states to bar the vessel from off-loading its deadly cargo.

Mwanawasa is the current chair of the Southern African Development Community, which has been trying to negotiate a settlement to Zimbabwe’s eight-year political crisis.

Angola has allowed the ship to dock on its waters.

The visit by Mnangagwa comes on the heels of last week’s visit to Angola by United States Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Jendayi Frazer, who has backed the opposition in its claims that it won the 29 March general elections in Zimbabwe.

Source African Press Agency

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