By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor

Efforts by Zimbabwean church leaders to broker peace between President Emmerson Mnangagwa and Nelson Chamisa have failed again, as one spreads the blame for the chaos and the other draws red lines.

Mnangagwa’s party, Zanu-PF, accuses the West of stirring up unrest in Zimbabwe to force regime change, as well as “rogue NGOs” and “hostile intelligence services.”

Chamisa, who leads the main opposition party, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), lays out 10 conditions for talks, but is also playing hide and seek, according to Newsday.

Both men failed to meet face to face at a strategic national dialogue meeting convened by the Zimbabwe Council of Churches in Harare on February 7.

Zimbabwean churches are seeking to broker talks between Mnangagwa and Chamisa which would lay the basis for the recovery of an economy struggling from shortages of cash, fuel, medicine and some basic commodities including bread.

Zanu-PF accuses Western powers

Zimbabwe’s ruling party believes Western powers are behind a “revolution” to bring about regime change in the country, according to documents seen by the Guardian (UK).

Zimbabwe crackdown could last months, activists fear.

Briefing papers prepared by Zanu-PF officials blame opposition parties and “rogue NGOs” (non-governmental organisations) for “an orgy of violence” following a protest against fuel price rises last month.

The papers accused them of following a plan “by hostile elements to subvert the state by rendering the country ungovernable.”

The document is thought to have been produced by Zanu-PF officials for circulation among foreign diplomats at the African Union summit, currently underway in Addis Abbaba.

It will concern observers already worried by the increasingly hard line taken by the Zimbabwean authorities.

The protests began on January 14 over a 150 per cent hike in the price of fuel and has led to sporadic incidents of rioting and looting.

The police and the army responded with a brutal crackdown.

The violence came 14 months after the 37-year rule of Robert Mugabe came to an end following a military takeover, and was the worst in Zimbabwe for at least a decade.

Police documents seen by the Guardian detailed the army’s role in a series of killings, rapes and beatings.

Systematic human rights violations

In a report published earlier this week, a coalition of local NGOs described a “de facto state of emergency” and a “reign of terror” by the security forces, which they accused of being responsible for 1,800 human rights violations.

The report by the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum said these included at least 17 extrajudicial killings, 16 rapes, 26 abductions and more than 600 assaults.

“The violations are systematic, unleashed mainly by male perpetrators whom the victims identified as wearing either military or police attire, armed with AK rifles and or baton sticks, travelling in army and police vehicles.

“The targets of attack were initially male population in high density suburbs but later become indiscriminate to include women and young girls”, the report said.

More than 1,000 people have been detained in the crackdown, including labour leaders, activists and officials from the MDC.

Many face lengthy sentences.

Seven have been charged with subversion, which could lead to up to 20 years in prison.

Zanu-PF has denied all responsibility for the disorder.

“Anti-government protests are an instrument of choice for subversive elements, particularly the MDC, rogue NGOs, hostile [civil society organisations] and Hostile Intelligence Services (sic), keen to effect either regime change in Zimbabwe or force the consummation of a [coalition government of national unity],” the document said.

It describes the security forces’ response as “proportional to the threat posed”, though it adds: “Unfortunately some misguided elements within the system and the security forces committed excesses and the law is now taking its course.”

The briefing says reports of abuses are aimed at prompting western intervention in Zimbabwe.

Analysts are divided as to whether the more moderate position of Mnangagwa, who won a contested election last year, is genuine or designed to deflect foreign criticism.

Zimbabwe in the cold

The recent violence now means it is very unlikely that Mnangagwa, who has said the government “regrets” the loss of life but has defended the crackdown, will achieve his stated aim of ending Zimbabwe’s pariah status and unlocking the massive financial aid necessary to avert total economic collapse.

On February 5, the United Kingdom said it would not back a bid by Zimbabwe to return to the Commonwealth because of recent human rights abuses and was “further” from backing any economic assistance package.

This suggests that basic commodities such as food, fuel and medicine will remain both scarce and increasingly expensive.

On February 6, Mnangagwa invited leaders of the more than 20 political parties that participated in last year’s disputed polls to a “post-election dialogue” at his State House office.

The talks were snubbed by Chamisa, who said he wants any dialogue to be independently mediated by the Southern African Development Community (SADC), a regional organisation, and guaranteed by the African Union (AU) and the United Nations.\

MDC states conditions for dialogue

The MDC laid out its conditions for dialogue with the government after receiving a letter of invitation from Mnangagwa.

“The MDC believes in genuine and sincere dialogue that ultimately must benefit the people of Zimbabwe.

“We also believe that national dialogue is part of the unfinished liberation struggle agenda,” said Chamisa’s Chief of Staff, Sessel Zvizvai, in a statement published by Nehanda Radio.

The statement was posted a day after Chamisa snubbed talks called for by Mnangagwa on February 6.

However, 12 other politicians who contested last year’s disputed elections met Mnangagwa.

The MDC’s 10 conditions for dialogue, reported by the  African News Agency (ANA), include

• Immediate cessation of all forms of violence, including rape, killings, shootings, torture, abductions as well as a genuine and transparent process to prosecute those responsible for killing, maiming and raping defenseless citizens.

• Restoring and guaranteeing the security of all citizens and immediately stopping arbitrary arrests, mass trials, and all violations of the rule of law is imperative.

• The independence of the judiciary with guarantees must be supported by the cessation of all executive interference with judicial processes.

• Restoring law and order and ending malicious prosecutions and the miscarriage of justice.

• Release of all political detainees and prisoners of conscience and respect for human rights, particularly political freedoms.

• All military personnel should return forthwith to their barracks as the country is not at war while freedom of association, expression and movement must be guaranteed.

• Decriminalisation of the MDC, including an end to the harassment and persecution of its party leadership and their families, and the unbanning of civilian politics is an immediate step that needs to be implemented.

 Mnangagwa, Chamisa urge each other to repent

 

 

 

 

 

Seeking divine intervention … Chamisa praying at a strategic national dialogue meeting in Harare on February 7.

According to Newsday, Mnangagwa skipped the prayer meeting on Febuary 7 after initially indicating that he would attend.

He was instead represented by Defence Minister, Oppah Muchinguri.

But Chamisa attended and told the gathering that any talks without the MDC Alliance would not solve the political crisis, which he said was at the centre of the current economic meltdown.

His words: “I can assure you that there can be dialogue by any other party, but that dialogue will not resolve our issues because it’s a matter of what is the dispute.

“The dispute is a matter of the electoral result that was disputed. That electoral result that was disputed was not disputed by some of the political parties that are in agreement with … Mnangagwa. I disagreed with … Mnangagwa.”

He told church leaders that he snubbed Wednesday’s talks because the convenor was not independent.

“Some would say, but Chamisa why didn’t you go to State House yesterday (Wednesday)?

“For a good reason, if we have to dialogue, we need an independent, respected and credible mediator between us. The church in this case is an appropriate convener,” Chamisa said to applause.

The MDC has maintained that unity and political stability will not be resolved unless the issue of Mnangagwa’s legitimacy is resolved.

Chamisa’s dispute of the July 30, 2018 electoral results is backed by the European Union (EU) and Commonwealth elections observer reports which said the results were not traceable or verifiable.

“It should not be difficult for me to sit and meet with … Mnangagwa, and I am saying president not because our dispute has been resolved.

“He is president of his organisation, I am president of my organisation, so until that issue is resolved it becomes difficult for us to move things forward,” Chamisa said.

“I would have wanted him to be here. I have been ready yesterday, last year, I am ready today, tomorrow, the next hour if there is a room even at this hotel to meet with … Mnangagwa to resolve the issues affecting the people of Zimbabwe, because any minute longer is a life wasted, it’s time wasted.

“The bishops have acknowledged the source of the problem. The fundamental problem is that we need healing, we need peace, we need unity. We need to have a coming together of people and for that to happen, there has to be … Mnangagwa and myself.”

Mnangagwa, who was supposed to attend the prayer meeting, was represented by Muchinguri, who delivered a speech on his behalf.

The president did not acknowledge the role of the church in leading the dialogue, but instead said the church should pray for peace and leadership in the country.

Mnangagwa, in his speech, said the turbulence “was only temporary”.

“Therefore, the starting point and exception is that we must love ourselves, and our God-given country as a united people with a common destiny, government further perceives the church as the light that never wants, that guides our nation towards hope, optimism and a positive expectation.”

Both Mnangagwa and Chamisa quoted from the same Scripture as they concluded their speeches, calling on each other to repent from their wickedness.

“The healing of our nation rests in the prayers and supplications of the church for 2 Chronicles 2 verse 14 says: ‘If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land’,” Mnangagwa’s speech read.

Taking a leaf from Mugabe, Tsvangirai

Zion Christian Church leader, Nehemiah Mutendi, called on Mnangagwa and Chamisa to put aside their egos and put the nation forward.

He said they should take a leaf from Mugabe and the late MDC leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, who despite massive differences met and found a solution following a disputed 2008 poll, culminating in the formation of a unity government.