Zuma urges mediation for Zimbabwe leaders

  1. Posted on Tuesday 1 September 2009 - 09:00
    Sam Banda Junior
    Image of Sam Banda Junior
    Sam Banda Jnr, AfricaNews reporter in Blantyre, Malawi Photo: Fred Hoogervorst
    SA president Jacob Zuma who made his first visit to Zimbabwe since becoming president said mediation was the only key to solving disagreements in the country. Zimbabwe which is still battling to uplift its economy entered into a government of national unity in February with Mugabe and Tsvangirai coming to terms.
    Jacob Zuma
    But since then the country has failed to forge ahead as well as win the support of donors due to disagreements between the two parties.

    But Zuma said during his two day visit in the country that the problems between the two parties can be overcome through mediation.

    South Africa’s former president Thabo Mbeki brokered the power sharing deal between Mugabe and Tsvangirai in September last year after a prolonged time of disagreements.

    The two parties failed to broker the deal after disagreeing on the sharing of cabinet portfolios.

    Media reports said Zuma’s visit to the country was part of keeping the power sharing deal on track.

    "The remaining issues are not insurmountable, and can be overcome. The most difficult path has already been travelled," Zuma said.

    He is said to have offered the help of the Southern African Development Community, which he currently chairs.

    Mugabe and Tsvangirai's parties are wrangling over the appointment of top officials -including the central bank governor and attorney-general -over Western sanctions targeting Mugabe and over the pace of reform.

    Tsvangirai was quoted recently as saying that the country needs $10 billion in foreign reconstruction aid.

    He has called on donors and well wishers to forget the past and focus on the future by helping the country.

    But western donors have stuck to their guns saying they will only release aid once reforms are made.

    Mugabe has criticised the western countries of failing to assist them and said they were not ready to bow to their demands.

    Although Zuma has been praised for taking a fast approach in Zim’s crisis than Mbeki, political analysts in the country still believe he is unlikely to get the feuding parties to agree.

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