Morgan Tsvangirai, the opposition candidate and leader of the Movement for Democratic Change Party (MDC), has given harsh criticism to South African President Thabo Mbeki for his stance.
Thabo Mbeki, the South African President has taken on the role as the mediator in the dilemma that plagues Zimbabwe. However, not many in the international community have been satisfied with Mbeki’s performance in mediating what has transpired. Zimbabwe has been plagued by violence.
The situation in Zimbabwe has mirrored that of Kenya. Zimbabwe has a humanitarian crisis on its hand. The MDC has been blamed by the Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe for the violence. However, the UN and human rights groups blame Mugabe’s Zanu-PF Party for most of the violence.
Many have accused Mugabe of trying to steal the election.
However, Mugabe has dismissed all criticism and said that there was a Western conspiracy to remove him from power and reestablish imperial rule over Zimbabwe.
According to the United States government, Mbeki sent a letter to US President George W. Bush saying to keep out of it.
Now, Tsvangirai has become vocal in his criticism towards Mbeki. He accuses Mbeki of working with Mugabe and downplaying the problems in Zimbabwe. Mbeki attacked Bush of criticizing Mugabe and his administration.
Most of the criticism towards Mbeki stems from how he reacted from the rising violence that has been supported by Mugabe’s administration. Mbeki was further criticized for not taking action on the treatment of MDC members.
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When you started mediating, Zimbabwe still had a functioning economy, millions of our citizens had not fled to other countries to escape political and economic crisis, and tends of thousands had not died from impoverishment and disease. In face, since the March 29 election, Zimbabwe has plunged into horrendous violence while you have been mediating. With respect, if we continue like this, there will be no country left,” Tsvangirai had written in a letter to Mbeki.
So far, many have accused Mugabe of trying to steal the election. Jendayi Frazer, the top US diplomat to Africa, accused Mugabe of trying to steal the election and withholding poll results. Frazer added that Tsvangirai is the winner.
While Tsvangirai had won, he did not win enough to avoid a runoff election. The runoff election is set for June 27.
Grace Mugabe, the wife to President Mugabe recently spoke out and said that Tsvangirai will never be allowed to take power. She said that Tsvangirai will never take power, even if he wins the runoff election.
In this regard, Tsvangirai has said that Mbeki is not fit anymore to mediate the situation in Zimbabwe.
