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Zimbabwe - Unity government

Zimbabwe PM Tsvangirai tries to drum up support regionally

Article published on the 2009-10-20 Latest update 2009-10-20 13:11 TU

Zimbabwean Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai(Credit: Reuters)

Zimbabwean Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai
(Credit: Reuters)

Zimababwe Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai is in Mozambique on Tuesday as part of his whistlestop tour to try and drum up support from regional leaders who mediated the crumbling Unity government. He was in South Africa on Monday to meet with top officials after he cut ties with Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe's "dishonest and unreliable camp" last Friday.

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Tsvangirai's appeal to regional leaders is a trip made out of frustration, says Claude Kabemba, an analyst with Open Society Institute in Johannesburg, South Africa.

The detention of deputy Agricultural Minister appointee Roy Bennett "was the last straw in terms of the ability of the Movement for Democratic Change and Morgan Tsvangirai to accept the attitude of [Robert Mugabe's] Zanu PF party," Kabemba tells RFI.

Analysis: Claude Kabemba, Director of Southern African Resource Watch, Johannesburg

 
 

20/10/2009 by Laura Angela Bagnetto

Kabemba says that part of Tsvangirai's objective on this trip is to ask leaders to take a more aggressive role with Mugabe.

"I think he [Tsvangirai] is not coming to say, 'will you help us?'" says Kabemba. "I think he is coming to tell SADC...'we're in this situation and it's not working,' he adds.

The office of South African President Jacob Zuma had not been contacted by the MDC office requesting a meeting.

After Tsvangirai meets Mozambiquan President Armando Guebuza, he has plans to meet Angola's President Jose Eduardo dos Santos and Democratic Republic of Congo leader Joseph Kabila.

Kabila is the current chairman of SADC. The DRC is also a close ally of Mugabe. Zimbabwe participated in the 'first African World War' in defence of  the DRC under former DRC leader Laurent Kabila, Joseph's father.

"Robert Mugabe has always seen himself as the godfather of Joseph Kabila, whether that is correct or not," says Kabemba. "I think that Tsvangirai is concerned about the ability of Joseph Kabila to intervene," he adds.

Kabila's ability to deal with Zimbabwe stems from the fact that no declarations have been made by SADC on the fragile situation with the Unity government in Zimbabwe since the deal was struck in February.

"He has not taken the initiative-- the lack of engagement from Joseph [Kabila] must be of great concern for Tsvangirai," says Kabemba.

"Within the MDC there is concern that Joseph Kabila might not have what it takes to deal with the question of Zimbabwe, and I think Morgan Tsvangirai is going to push Kabila to start saying something significant for what is happening in Zimbabwe," he adds.