ZIMBABWE:ZIMBABWE'S MAIN opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai yesterday called for President Thabo Mbeki to stand down as mediator, despite a shift by South Africa from its "quiet diplomacy" strategy to the country's electoral crisis.
"We want to thank President Mbeki for all of his efforts but [ he] needs to be relieved of his duties," Mr Tsvangirai told reporters in Johannesburg. Mr Mbeki has been taking the lead on the Zimbabwe issue for the South African Development Community (SADC).
Until yesterday, Mr Mbeki and his government had refused to criticise Zimbabwe's ruling regime over the delay in releasing the result of the March 29th presidential poll, preferring to use a low- key behind-the-scenes diplomatic approach.
However, on Wednesday South Africa's president came under significant pressure to act decisively to end the impasse from his counterparts at a UN Security Council meeting in New York.
The international criticism appears to have prompted the regional power to change its approach to Zimbabwe. Following a cabinet meeting in Cape Town yesterday, government communications head Themba Maseko conceded they now viewed the situation as dire.
"When elections are held and results are not released two weeks after, [ it] is obviously of great concern," he said before adding: "The situation is dire and requires further facilitation. We are keen to see a speedy release of the election results as soon as possible."
However, the U-turn appears to be too little, too late for the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party. The party maintains results posted outside polling stations 24 hours after the poll show that Mr Tsvangirai won by an absolute majority, and since then MDC supporters have been subjected to intimidation and violence by the ruling regime.
Mr Mugabe's ruling Zanu-PF party has indicated it believes a second round head-to-head is needed and that all parties should wait for the state-appointed Zimbabwe Electoral Commission to release the official results.
"I made a specific request to President Mwanawasa [Zambian president and current chair of the SADC] to say he needs to lead a new initiative, an initiative that will expand beyond that of Mr Mbeki," said Mr Tsvangirai. The MDC leader said Zimbabweans should no longer look to the electoral commission for the official results as the body's legal authority had expired. "Their moral authority has been laughed away, so what the commission says now no longer matters. What matters are the votes that were cast at the polling stations and posted outside 24 hours later."
Meanwhile, a civil society movement in Zimbabwe has launched a non-violent campaign to push for publication of the results in response to the reports of violence.
Launched under the aegis of a coalition of non-governmental organisations, the civil society movement demanded "immediate action be taken to ensure the closure of youth militia and war veteran/military base camps that have been set up in various areas around the country, and oversee the disarmament and disbanding of these groups". Elsewhere, a Chinese-registered ship suspected of carrying arms, allegedly headed for Zimbabwe, has been cleared to dock in Durban and unload its cargo for transportation.