POLITICAL STALEMATE: The 53-nation African Union (AU) called for Zimbabwe's political leaders to form a unity government Tuesday. Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai rejected the resolution as Robert Mugabe began yet another term as president.

The African Union's resolution re-affirmed South African President Thabo Mbeki as the official mediator between Tsvangirai and Mugabe. Tsvangirai, leader of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), has consistently repudiated Mbeki as the mediator for being soft on Mugabe. Meanwhile the U.S. and European governments threatened more sanctions.

African Union Proposes Unity Government

On Tuesday, the AU issued a resolution calling for Mugabe to enter into negotiations with the MDC and form a unity government. But in addition to re-affirming Thabo Mbeki as the preferred mediator between Mugabe and Tsvangirai, the AU's resolution refused Tsvangirai's request to condemn the election as a sham.

Tsvangirai rejected the resolution Wednesday, saying, "The resolution does not adequately deal with the ongoing violence in Zimbabwe. Additionally, the resolution does not recognize the illegitimacy of the June 27 elections and the fact that most African leaders refuse to recognize Mugabe as the Head of State." (CNN International, 7/2/08)

As to Mbeki's role as mediator, Tsvangirai said, "Our reservations about the mediation process under President Mbeki are well known. Unless the mediation team is expanded ... and the mediation mechanism is changed, no meaningful progress can be made toward resolving the Zimbabwe crisis. If this does not happen, then the MDC will not be part of the mediation process." (USA Today, 7/2/08)

EU Supports Different Version of Unity Government

While backing the AU resolution, the European Union (EU) and Britain also...

• called for a transitional government
• said that, based on the March elections, Tsvangirai should have the top spot
• called the June 27 election a travesty
• suggested the UN send an envoy to Zimbabwe
• urged sanctions against Zimbabwe
• suggested the G8 nations not support reconstruction in Zimbawe

The spokesman for the EU, John Clancy said, "Morgan Tsvangirai must be part of any transitional government and if we reflect the first round of the election where he won a majority of the vote with 47 percent then it's clear that he should be a leading member of that government as its potential prime minister or the head of government to ensure that certain reforms can take place." (Voice of America, 7/2/08)

Mugabe Claims Victory

Zimbabwe's election commission proceeded with the presidential run-off election last Friday. Morgan Tsvangirai boycotted the election earlier in the week citing political intimidation by the ruling ZANU-PF party. The head of the election commission announced Mugabe as the winner on Sunday.

The election commission reported:

• Mugabe won 85.1% of the vote
• Voter turnout was 42.37% of eligible voters, nearly the same as during the first round election held in March.

Tsvangirai ...

• described the election as meaningless
• said Mugabe's swearing-in is meaningless
• refused Mugabe's invitation to attend the swearing-in ceremony
• refused to work with Mbeki as sole mediator

He said of the swearing-in, "I can't give support to an exercise I'm totally opposed to... the whole world has condemned it, the Zimbabwean people will not give this exercise legitimacy and support." (Reuters, 6/29/08)

The state-run newspaper The Herald reported that the US-based December 12 Movement, serving as election observers, endorsed Friday's election as fair and open. The Herald wrote, "The Members of the mission yesterday said their findings so far indicated that the poll outcome was not only a free expression of the will of Zimbabweans, but that it set an example for the rest of Africa and the Africans in the Diaspora." (The Herald, 7/2/08) Note: no information was available regarding the December 12 Movement.

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Question for Readers:

Is Tsvangirai being unreasonable by refusing to negotiate with Mugabe as long as Mbeki is the mediator?