Muddying the waters

It is quite obvious to everyone that President Robert Mugabe and his henchmen, are responsible for the stalemate in the unity government. Even Zanu (PF) hardliners know this – if they are honest with themselves.
They have refused to implement the GPA in full. Their hearts have never been in it. Even at the singing ceremony, while Morgan Tsvangirai and Arthur Mutambara were pledging to work tirelessly for the success of the unity government, Mugabe was busy attacking Britain, the US, the EU and all his other imaginary enemies.
He has also taken his sweet time about swearing in provincial governors and deputy minister of agriculture Roy Bennett in direct contravention of both the letter and the spirit of the agreement. And just this week it has emerged that even the GPA itself was tampered with.
The issue of the Reserve Bank Governor and the Attorney General is still unresolved.
With Jacob Zuma arriving next week, having made some strong statements recently, and a SADC summit looming Zanu (PF) has gone into stampede mode.
They are making every effort to cause confusion over the selection of people to sit on the various committees mandated by the GPA simply because their nominees have not been successful in making it onto the short lists.
Their ridiculous argument – that the MDC members of the selection panel were in the majority and favoured non-Zanu (PF) candidates simply does not wash. That is how democracy works. Their behaviour demonstrates if anyone ever double it – that Zanu (PF) is not interested in democracy.
As for the so-called sanctions issue to insist that MDC should get the targeted sanctions against individual members of Zanu (PF) lifted by the west is absurd.
Mugabe and co know very well that targeted sanctions were imposed by foreign nations, who have every right to decide whom they will welcome into their countries, and whom they will not. As does Zimbabwe itself.
The position of the west has been stated unequivocally. They will not remove their travel and financial bans imposed upon Mugabe and his cronies for human rights abuses, until such abuses are stopped, media reforms are implemented and the country returns to the rule of law. As yet, there is no evidence of any of this.
Mugabe knows what needs to be done. He should simply get on and do it.