The relief of Zimbabwe

It was with no little relief that we are hearing that Zimbabweans have finally reached an agreement on power sharing. While the exact details shall be released on Monday and there are bound to be many who are still unhappy, it offers the people of that country a vehicle with which to begin the journey ahead. In terms of the region it will hopefully assist in restoring political stability and start relieving South Africa of the burden of millions of exiles. This is crucial to the development of both countries.

The key to the success of the deal must, however, remain its acceptance by the international community, without which it will simply mean the economy will continue to disintegrate and make any attempts to substantially rebuild the country near impossible.

Basildon Peta of IOL believes that the key elements of the agreement are those set out in his article of even date:

http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=68&art_id=vn20080912055726541C851808

You might also have regard to this one from USA Today:

http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2008-09-12-zimbabwe_N.htm

While we all take time out to await and then dissect the overall deal and thereafter the response of the international community, we must also reflect on what has brought us to this point and try to ensure that this situation is never repeated.

Firstly we must never forget that this agreement is as a result of the ruling party losing an election and then refusing to hand over power. In other words it is an absolute disaster for democracy in Africa.

Secondly the ruling party was prepared to starve out five million of its people, reduce life expectancy to the lowest in the world, murder in the name of electioneering, destroy the country’s economy and threaten war, all the while watching a genocide approach, in the name of clinging to power. That this occurred while African leaders dithered and assisted Mugabe’s dilatory approach means that something has gone horrendously wrong with African politics.

Thirdly that at present Africans cannot resolve their problems without assistance from the rest of the planet. Quiet diplomacy was an unmitigated disaster which has cost both countries billions, destabilised the region and left millions homeless and starving. It gave rise to xenophobia, murder for political gain and has all but destroyed Zimbabwe. If that is a success then we seriously need to revise the definitions of success and failure. While it is to president Mbeki’s credit that he persevered and achieved the deal, the fact is that without South Africa and the ANC’s intervention, Mugabe would have been gone a long time ago.

What is vital now is the following:

Firstly, the deal having been done, we must now reach out to the international community to get behind it. As I did with sanctions, I will be using every opportunity to encourage the international community to support the compromise and reward the deal while ensuring that the parties stay on track to becoming a proper democracy. The fact that I find the conduct of the ruling party and Mugabe beyond disgusting is irrelevant; that deal is the new game in town.

Secondly, having been given this chance the Zanu-PF must seize the opportunity and move sharply towards the centre. Restore all the elements of democracy from freedom of speech to the rule of law immediately. That will give the party a lot more credibility and start them back on the right track which they left after the 2000 referendum. This will mean two parties of competence watching each other in the interest of Zimbabweans.

Thirdly, those aid agencies must be given immediate and unfettered access to the five million victims of this nightmare.

Without doubt Zimbabwe has now been given an opportunity to start getting its house in order again. Due to the scale of this disaster and the decision having been made, no time must be lost in trying to normalise the situation on the ground.

Without doubt South Africa and the region will benefit from a more stable Zimbabwe provided it has learned the lessons of this abomination. It is not a triumph for diplomacy, but rather making the best out of a meltdown which we played a material part in creating.

Celebrate the new dawn and try to forgive but never forget what brought us here.