‘Zimbabwe Today’ by Robb WJ Ellis (20-04-2008)

The latest news on the Chinese ship carrying armaments for Zimbabwe is that it is proceeding to either Maputu or Beira in Mozambique. I have seen an article on the internet that states that the Mozambiquean authorities say they will not allow the transit of weapon across their country.

So my original idea that the ship may go as far North of Dar Es Salaam may yet pan out.

“A South African human rights group says a Chinese ship carrying weapons destined for Zimbabwe is now on its way to neighboring Mozambique.

The Southern Africa Litigation Center says the ship left South Africa on Friday after a High Court ordered that the cargo and the ship not be moved.

The ship had anchored just outside Durban harbour after receiving permission late Wednesday to dock. The human rights group asked the court to intervene to keep the arms from being taken to politically troubled Zimbabwe.

The group says the vessel was already sailing away when officials tried to serve the order on the ship.“

Sadly, the free world may be aware of the ship, but it is not doing very much to stop it attempting to deliver its cargo. Which is a tragedy within itself.

But the free world is way to lax on Africa in general and Zimbabwe in particular. And if the ship makes port, then the weapons will be transported (regardless of what any government says) and there will be a civil war in Zimbabwe.

“The Congress of South African Trade Unions says the ship needs to return to China, as South Africa can’t be seen as helping weapons reach Zimbabwe in a time of “political dispute.”

The Chinese vessel, An Yue Jiang, anchored off the port of Durban, lifted anchor between 6:00 pm (1600 GMT) and 7:00 pm (1700 GMT) and sailed out to an unknown destination, Sapa news agency reported, quoting several unnamed sources.

The ship’s master, who earlier this week identified himself simply as captain Sunaijun, told Sapa by telephone late Friday: “I am awaiting orders from my owner.“

Another report states that the ship is head up the West coast of Africa to Angola. Can it be that no one really knows where the craft is – and that by muddying the water (pardon the expression) we won’t know where it is and the weapons will make Zimbabwe?

“A Chinese ship carrying arms to Zimbabwe, which was turned away from South Africa, is heading to Angola in hopes of docking there, the transport minister of Mozambique said on Saturday. The ship left South African waters on Friday after a court refused to allow the weapons to be transported across South Africa, the South African Press Association said. Mozambique Transport and Communications Minister Paulo Zucula told Reuters that Mozambique has been monitoring the movements of the ship since it lifted anchor and left South Africa.

“We know that it registered its next destination as Luanda because here we wouldn’t allow it into Mozambican waters without prior arrangements”, he said. The An Yue Jiang, a Chinese ship, had been at anchor off Durban on South Africa‘s Indian Ocean coast since Monday, turning into a flashpoint for trade unions and others critical of President Thabo Mbeki’s quiet diplomacy toward Zimbabwe.“

Round and round she goes – where’s she lands, nobody knows. What an absolute farce!

And let’s not forget – not for one minute – that we are talking about the lives of Zimbabweans here. Nothing more, nothing less…

One thing that we can never accuse Morgan Tsvangarai of is cowardice. The man has been the subject of many conspiracies against him, faced treason charges, been beaten within an inch of his life – and now we have reason to believe that he has won the Presidential election.

And we cannot blame him for staying in South Africa for the foreseeable future. We know that Mugabe will not stop at having him taken out.

I would have thought that conspiring to assassinate the democratically elected President of Zimbabwe is a very serious crime, and Mugabe should be answerable.

“Zimbabwe‘s opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, believes that if he returns to his country now, he will face imprisonment and possible attack, and thus undermine his movement’s hope of taking office.

“Do you want a dead hero?” he told The Globe yesterday.

Mr Tsvangirai left Zimbabwe on April 8, 10 days after an election he is widely believed to have won, although the government’s electoral commission has yet to release the results, three weeks later.

The leader of the Movement for Democratic Change has spent the time since then shuttling between southern African capitals. But as Harare intensifies its crackdown on MDC supporters in Zimbabwe, with more than 175 people hospitalized for beatings at the hands of police and militias, Mr Tsvangirai is facing increasing calls to come home.“

Of course, we must be aware that Tsvangirai’s strongest following is at home. And his party members are facing the music as ZANU PF militia and war veterans wade in and beat them mercilessly. And, to a certain degree, the MDC members will feel somewhat alone without their leader in the country.

But a party without a leader because Mugabe has had him ‘removed’ would be entirely unacceptable.

“It’s like a father, when the father is away, children always ask, ‘Where is the father,’ but father may make an assessment that it is not opportune at that particular time to do certain things,” he said.

“I’m mobilizing international support, I’m being effective in making sure that the issue of Zimbabwe remains on the international radar… It is no use going back to Zimbabwe and become captive. Then you are not effective. What can you do?“

What indeed? Damned if you do – damned if you don’t…

“The minute we go home, they’ll arrest us, they’ll take our passports and that will be it,” said George Tshibotshiwa, a senior aide to Mr Tsvangirai, speaking in the drab Johannesburg office that has become the leadership’s temporary headquarters.“

Whilst we have one eye on the recount – now that ZANU PF have had the ballot boxes in their possession for almost three weeks.

“Mr Tshibotshiwa said he was “quite sure” that the recount would give ZANU PF back at least the 16 seats it would need to retake a parliamentary majority.“

The headline of this article would suggest that the MDC are ruing the opportunity that they had to take over the reigns.

But when you read into it, you will realise that Mugabe was ready to hand over, but his military chiefs put a stop to it.

This, for me, was the first sure sign that ZANU PF was being run by a military junta – and that Mugabe was no longer in control.

“For two fleeting days, Morgan Tsvangirai applied himself to the task of being presidential.

Zimbabwe held a national election on March 29, a Saturday. And by Monday, his Movement for Democratic Change knew it had won the vote, as its candidates phoned in posted results from across the country. Mr Tsvangirai, beaming and confident in a sharp blue suit, addressed a packed press conference, met with diplomats, began to plan his cabinet.

Someone else knew the MDC had won: President Robert Mugabe, who has ruled Zimbabwe for 28 years. That Monday, the President sent an emissary, a prominent Harare businessman, to say he wanted to make a deal about ceding power, the opposition leader said in an interview yesterday, providing a detailed and candid description of the heady days after the vote.

“[He said] they had been discussing with Mugabe and they had persuaded, advised him, to concede defeat and seek a negotiated accommodation for some of his lieutenants.”

So Mr Tsvangirai tasked two senior MDC staffers to negotiate with Mr Mugabe’s ZANU PF party, represented by Labour Minister Nicholas Goche. Right away, the men held a first meeting at a Harare hotel. Mr Goche left to spend Monday talking to others in the cabinet and security forces.

He met again the next day with the MDC team, Mr Tsvangirai said, and they discussed “an inclusive government.” Mr Goche said ZANU PF wanted a significant role for Mr. Mugabe – as ceremonial president, perhaps, with Mr. Tsvangirai to be prime minister.

The opposition, elated with its victory, rejected that idea: There would be no place for Mr Mugabe. But they were prepared to offer him a way “to exit honourably,” Mr Tsvangirai said. ZANU PF also wanted a place for some of its senior people in the government; the MDC was amenable.“

I am glad that the MDC did not cave in to ZANU PF’s demands. Yes – at the present time the MDC have not be handed power by a defeated Mugabe who is trying to rework the election to not only give him the Presidency but the Parliamentary majority – but giving in so easily to ZANU PF would have resulted in some situation very similar.At least, by this means, we are more than aware of Mugabe’s filanderings.

This morning I found this on the internet. A list of the disputed constituencies. By my count there are only 22… And I must say that I am confused. Some of the constituencies that are listed are already in ZANU PF hands!

Why call these constituencies for a recount?

I am not even going to try and work it out as it all makes my brain hurt!

Now, if it took them 4 days to count 210 constituency seats – but they are telling us that it may take 4 days to count these 22 or 23 seats! And no one knows where the recount is going on, so the MDC is unable to have observers on site…

Go figure…

I really do hate these stories. All they do is start the rumour mill and then we have ZANU PF cracking down on the MDC…

“Robert Mugabe is planning to step down from power within 18 months if he is eventually declared the winner of Zimbabwe‘s bitterly contested presidential election, say senior figures in his party.

Colleagues say he is tired and had wanted to hand over the leadership before the election, but decided to fight on to rally support for his ZANU PF party.

He is said to have chosen a long-time ally, Emmerson Mnangagwa, as his eventual successor.

Three weeks after Zimbabweans went to the polls, Mr Mugabe appears increasingly determined to cling to power until a time of his own choosing, refusing to concede defeat either in the presidential vote or in the parliamentary elections which his party lost to its main rival, the Movement for Democratic Change.“

Mnangagwa? This is more of ZANU PF fuelling the idea that Mugabe will name his successor as per the Constitutional Amendment that he cheated the MDC to backing. I express no surprise at this.

In a straight fight (Mnangagwa vs Tsvangirai) I believe ZANU PF defeat would have been bigger. Mnangagwa has no real credentials and what little I have seen of him lately, he is just as old in the tooth as Mugabe!

“Human Rights Watch claimed that supporters of Mr Mugabe’s party set up the camps “to systematically target, beat, and torture people” suspected of voting for the opposition in last month’s elections.

The Foreign Office cautioned Britons not to travel to Zimbabwe unless absolutely essential, “due to the continuing tension surrounding the election and the deployment of uniformed forces (police and military) and war veterans across the country”.

It also warned British residents: “The current situation is unpredictable, volatile and could deteriorate quickly, without warning.“

Emmerson Mnangagwa is another person who has some serious history with Zimbabwe. He was the Minister behind the Gukurahundi. He would certainly not be the people’s choice.

And staying with The Telegraph, they have a video report of comments on Zimbabwe by former UN chief Koff Annan here.