Zuma Expected To Come Hard On Mugabe

Zuma is expected in the country between Wednesday and Friday according to his international relations advisor Lindiwe Zulu who spoke to RadioVOP from South Africa on Tuesday.

“Last week President Zuma met the three principals in the inclusive government whereupon he told them that he would be coming to Zimbabwe this week. The president is interested in making sure that the principals implement the GPA.

“It is only after the implementation that he will assist in the drawing of the roadmap for elections because he does not want a repeat of what happened in 2008,” said Zulu.

Zuma, will meet President Robert Mugabe, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara and their representatives in the negotiation process.

Sources at the South African embassy told RadioVOP that Zuma is agitated and wants the principals to be more serious with regards to the implementation of the GPA. Zuma’s anger was heightened last week when the SADC Troika on politics, defence and security failed to meet after chairman President Rupiah Bandah of Zambia failed to turn.

The other member of Troika, Mozambique’s President Armando Guebuza also failed to turn up leading to the cancellation of the meeting where Mugabe, Tsvangirai and Mutambara had been invited. Only Zuma, the third member of the Troika and the facilitator attended.

“Zuma feels he is being sabotaged by some leaders in the region and also believes that Mugabe is taking him for granted.  He is not happy that Mugabe agrees to implement in meetings and as soon as he is on the plane back to South Africa, he reneges especially after meeting his hardliners in Zanu PF.

“Zuma is aware of this and would want to make sure that this does not happen again. He does not want to go home empty handed,” said the SA embassy source.

Last month, Mugabe clandestinely re-appointed his Zanu PF provincial governors, a development which angered Tsvangirai who has not been speaking to the veteran leader since then.