The Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front propaganda chief Jonathan Moyo says President Robert Mugabe can talk to British Prime Minister David Cameron to reduce the “noise and tension” between the two sides because his approach is very different from that of the last two British premiers, Gordon Brown and Tony Blair.
Moyo was quoted by the British paper, The Telegraph, as saying: “We can all see that David Cameron is not as loquacious as Brown or Tony Blair, he has kept his views on Zimbabwe to himself.”
This is the third time this month that talk between Mugabe and the British government has been raised. There has been a lot of tension between Zimbabwe and Britain since 1997 when the Labour government of Tony Blair took over. Zimbabwe’s independence was brought about under the Conservative government of Margaret Thatcher.
The issue about talks was first raised by former Financial Times Africa editor Michael Holman. Holman said it was time for Britain to talk to Mugabe because of his ailing health and the pending elections which Mugabe and his party insist must be held this year or early next year, but the Movement for Democratic Change and Southern African Development Community leaders say must be held when the climate is right.
“As promised elections draw nearer, voter intimidation by the ruling party is on the rise and a nervous population seeks assurances about post-Mugabe Zimbabwe. If ever there were a time for constructive external advice, it is now,” Holman said.
“Yet rather than encouraging contact, London appears to have ordered its embassy in Harare to do little more than keep a diplomatic death watch, as if Mr Mugabe’s demise will mark the removal of the obstacle on the country’s road to peace and democracy. Maybe.
“But there is also a case for fearing that his death will be a catalyst for violence. Expectations of his imminent passing have created a febrile atmosphere in the ranks of his ZANU-PF party, which shares power in an uneasy coalition. Far from seeking to restore honest governance, Mr Mugabe’s would-be successors plot and scheme, seeking ways to protect vested interests.”
Jonathan Moyo seemed to be echoing the same sentiments when he told The Telegraph:“The British problem is that they behave like a drunkard who climbed a tree overnight then woke up naked and could not get down. We are prepared to give them a ladder, and a blanket, but it’s up to them whether they climb down at night or during the day.”
British Member of Parliament Kate Hoey, who belongs to the Labour party but is the chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Zimbabwe, said Britain should not talk to Mugabe because he lives in the past and his days are over.
She said Britain should talk to Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai instead because he speaks for Zimbabwe now.
“Robert Mugabe is 87 and lives in the past, as his rants against British imperialism show. Michael Holman seems also to be living in the past. The days are long gone when Zimbabwe’s future could be stitched up through behind the scenes contact by go-betweens from the British government. Zimbabwe’s future must be decided by Zimbabweans, most of whom are under 30 and born after independence. They have made their democratic will very clear, and it is to them that Mr Mugabe and the geriatric leadership of ZANU-PF have shut their ears,” she said.
“Morgan Tsvangirai and his Movement for Democratic Change speak for Zimbabwe now and our dialogue should be with them….”
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