Zim's opposition MDC boycotts unity govt

This Tsvangarai person does not care about ordinary Zimbabweans. Why is he putting Tony Bennett before the visible improvements that are happening is Zimbabwe. Let the courts decide if Tony Bennett is guilty or not.

The "Unity" govt has not collapsed, the MDC is having a "Unity boycott".

The MDC has not pulled out, they have "disengaged".

Lets see the SA ANC Govt, SADC and AU "gaurantee" their deal.

Or lets see a bunch of corrupt, incompetent Black Politicians blame the "North", preferably someone White, hold committes to pass the buck to someone else and to duck responsibility,...

Whilst ZUMA cant even get an entire country on the Agenda paper.

@Alisdair Budd,

Pssst...dude...um... Tony Bennett is white.

More than 7 black MDC MPs are either on trial, have been acquitted or convicted but Tsvangirai said nothing. Only when their link with their western funders is indicted does Tsvangirai see how dishonest Zanu PF is? It begs the question then that does Tsvangirai value the rights and lives his black party membership the same as the whites?

MDC-T and Tsvangirai have always known that Roy Bennett was on bail pending the start of his trial for the past 6 months. This must not have come as a surprise to them as they seem to be pretending it is. They want rule of law in Zimbabwe and unfortunately that rule of law involves Bennett standing trial for his alleged crimes. If he is innocent he will be acquitted.

It's amazing that just the beginning of this week Tsvangirai was talking about the progress that has been made by the inclusive government. Does Bennett's legal woes come before the lives of the over 12 million Zimbabweans?

What happened to restoring the rule of law - can't we just let the courts decide without throwing toys out of the cot.............

Makho Mazolo on October 16, 2009, 1:20 pm

How dare you criticize Morgan T. He lost his wife and child. He was captured, assaulted, tortured and imprisoned for what he believed and still fought for the people of his country. The majority of the people in the country supported him and MDC won the elections. They are supposed to be in power, however, they took the high moral ground and formed the unity government to ‘occupy’ Robert M for the remainder of his rotten, inhumane life. Then Morgan T went to travel the world to try to rectify foreign confidence that was raped under Zanu PF rule. Zimbabwe relies on foreign aid and assistance from Europe and the West and one of the conditions for that foreign assistance is based on the success of the unity government. Things looked up for Zim.

However, by imprisoning Roy B, Bob is giving his fellow countryman and the rest of the world the middle finger by not complying with the modest request from the MDC. I’m all for the MDC flexing it’s international muscle. Unfortunately, with the MDC not part of the unity govmnt, ordinary people will once again suffer.

Free Bennet, Free Zimbabwe!!

It may be worth pointing out to the commenters' here that the Apartheid government was also just upholding the law. The Nazis were also just upholding the law.

It is not uncommon for tyranny's to change the law to suite their needs. We know that from our own history. Have some sympathy for the Zimbabweans who are also seeking their liberty from tyranny.

Tsvangarai is right-theres no way to build a country while your members are arrested,Mugabe is really killing Zim,while zimbabwens dont care about their country,they like mugabe who doesnt give them anything!

It's Africa -- these fake cobbled-together pseudo-alliances will never last. Coalition governments are unAfrican because everyone in Africa has an all-consuming lust to be that one big boss.

I am sorry I cannot support anyone accused of banditry insurgency, treasonous acts etc. This is serious stuff for a country particularly detested by the West like these. This mlungu will have to face the music........

Simple solution. Have full elections under U.N. supervision-not S.A.D.C. This will show up the men behind Mugabe.

I must say voetsek to Alisdair. The statement "incompetent Black Politicians" is unwarranted in this regard. Let the issues of Zimbabwe be resolved by Zimbabweans with constructive support from international community. Ex-President Thabo Mbeki should return to Zimbabwe and steer the ship again.

Well done Morgan! Just when I thought you were in danger of becoming Mugabe's puppet. You've already lost a wife, and a won election - stand firm and retain your dignity. In this mexican stand off, the people are with you. Don't blink my friend. God bless you and your supporters - there is hope!

Mazolo & ''Proudly South African'' - you are seriously mistaken. Do you at all know how compromised the Zim court system is? Have you been following up this Bennett issue at all? The Gvt, through the Attorney General, firstly arrived at 1600hrs for a court session that was meant to start at 0900hrs; secondly, they changed their position, deciding to indict Bennet instead of the earlier agreed position to discuss whether or not the trial should commence or remand is refused.

What happens? Despite a clear case of flouting court rules, the Magistrate agrees to play along with Gvt & Bennet is put in the shutter to await a future ''trial date'' possibly in Feb 2010.

Everybody, including Mugabe knows that the charges against Bennet are manufactured by the Central Intelligence just like they had been for Hirschmann who was acquitted of the same charges - having been earlier charged alongside Bennett. Jestina Mukoko, a civil rights activist was recently acquitted on similarly spurious ''terrorism'' charges of wanting to overthrow Mugabe.


Yes Bennet is white but does that justify the persecution he has undured? Do the ANC,PAC & Inkatha not have whites in their ranks?

And above all, it's not just the arrest of Bennett which has caused the MDC to take this stance - there are many other unfulfilled GPA matters which Mugabe is refusing to implement.

Please wake up, get the background to these issues before you parade your ignorance.

Proudly_South African: You CANT be friggin serious?! Millions of Zimbabweans just told you to **** off.

Proudly_South African Proudly_South African

'..I cannot support anyone accused of banditry insurgency, treasonous acts etc..'

Are you a hypocrite or just plain stupid? Most of the ANC’s leadership was accused of similar acts during the apartheid era, yet you support them.

Fact is the people of Zim is way past the colour barrier and for that they are years ahead of us, especially people like you who fail to see past 'mlungu'. Very sad indeed; you’re one of the people that cannot learn from examples but only through experience.

Tsvimbo Dzemoto

Well said.

@Mhako Masolo
It's ROY Bennett not Tony
@ Proudly South African
Mr Bennett has been fairly elected. The notion that the MDC was involved in any militant operations in Botswana or anywhere else has been totally discreditted and known to be a construct of the unelected Mugabe regieme. It's evident that you've been watching too many Rambo or Die Hard Movies.
@Freedom Ndlovu
Sad but what Alistair Budd said is in fact true.This whole mess is a concoct of the SADC not the EC or NATO although they are guilty of allowing Mr Mugabe to get into power in the first place- Which brings me back to Proudly South African- Why did you want Nelson Mandela freed unconditionally without letting the courts decide and was not Mr Mugabe practiciing "Banditry and Insurgency" before 1980.

PLEASE, M&G, stop calling the MDC the "opposition". They are the majority party. You are perpetuating this myth.

And to those who say Tsvangirai is threatening the gains made since the "unity" government came into being, don't forget who is responsible for those gains.

Unlike the psychopath in State House, Morgan has been a model of statesmanship and restraint, and he's justified the faith that the people put in him. I believe that he knows what he's doing now.

@Makho Mazolo...psssst....dude, it is...ROY Bennett.

Tony Bennett is a singer.

Ts about time MDC woke up to the reality that they have always been junior to the MDC,Tsvangirai should have just woken up and smelt the coffee & nt bothered to join this GNU in the first place..

Zanu PF thorough the office of the AG is the one abusing the RULE OF LAW??
Bennet was indicted specifically so that he would be thrown in jail. The prosecution's papers are not in order, they dont have any witnesses or evidence to support the state's case, and his defence has not been furnished with the indictment papers. They are not interested in Bennet having his day in court, they just keep him in jail for as long as possible until the case crumbles.

Dear compatriots, it is wise to refrain from commenting on matters that one is insufficiently knowledgeable about. Let us use this platform to debate issues at hand, I implore you!

There is a multitude of reasons why Tsvangirai should have "disengaged" with Mugabe a long time ago; but, as far as Mugabe is concerned, there was only one reason, he stood up to the white man who threatened the peace and the very sovereignty of Zimbabwe.

As for Tsvangirai he accepted to share power with Mugabe even after the serious human rights violation of April to June 2008. He has done nothing to stop Mugabe's excesses including the continued white farm invasions, the appointment of Gideon Gono, arrest and murder of innocent Zimbabweans including MDC supporters, etc. Mugabe has always accused Tsvangirai of being a puppet of the West; someone must have pulled the strings to move him into action over the jailing of Roy Bennett!

It is my understanding that Tsvangirai was put under immense pressure to agree to the GPA, and that Mugabe only agreed to it because ZANU PF thought that if Tsvangirai was part of the process, then the West would drop the 'sanctions', or as I believe it was Chombo or Mutasa, who said 'otherwise why would we want to bother with him?"

It is also my belief that President Mugabe maintains the position he has always maintained 'why would anyone who is in power share that power?"

@LA QUEBECOISE

pssst....dude.... who said i was talking about Roy?

Tsvimbo Dzemoto, you would know how compromised the court system in Zimbabwe is especially considering that the Supreme Court just recently let off other suspected terrorists like Jestina Mukoko? Like how the court system granted Bennett bail until his indictment for commencement of trial even though he had been a fugitive from justice for 3 years? Like it acquitted 2 MDC MPs of abusing the farming inputs facility meant for poor communal farmers? Its funny how the court system is compromised only when decisions go against MDC aligned functionaries.

As for Alastair Grant, MDC is still the opposition party especially if they decide to pull out because they have the same number of seats with Zanu PF in parliament and Zanu PF has a majority in the Senate. You wish they were the majority party but do not pass off your wishes as fact.

Moloko Moloko, Mugabe spent 11 years being tortured in Ian Smith's prison, lost his son and was not allowed to go bury him by a system defended by Roy Bennett. Tsvangirai lost his wife in a traffic accident, his grandson not his son drowned in an unprotected swimming pool at Tsvangirai's home. Do not inflate Tsvangirai's background with fake heroic acts. The man has never been imprisoned or totured as you allege. He was cleary and openly beaten by the police at Southerton Police Station for disobeying a lawful police order.

Power corrupts. Tsvangirai will not pull out of the sweet taste of power. He will only "boycott" and keep the packs.

Change means action and that action is demanded, naturally, from the side of Zimbabweans. If they do nothing, as they certainly not right now and Mugabe has come to realise that, nothing will change.

@Johann Braunstein, point of correction. Bennett was not elected as he did not take part in the March 2008 elections since he was a fugitive in SA.

NATO and EC did not vote Mugabe into power in 1980, it was the Zimbabwean people who did so overwhelmingly save for the 20 seats reserved for whites only at the time. The same electorate did so again in the run off in June 2008. I say this with confidence because if the run off result had had Tsvangirai as winner inspite of his purported boycott he would have gladly accepted the victory. More like having your cake and eating it too.

Mr Mugabe has had many years to prove himself capable of leading the country and he has failed miserably -presiding over agricultural and economic collapse and the disintigration of public services such as education health and the provision of basic neccesities like water and electricity. Even if one does not enter into the areas of human rights and basic morality, he has disqualified himself as a credible leader on the grounds of incompetence. This unbalanced alliance should not have been tinkered together in the first place and I am surprised that it has lasted this long. A UN monitored fair election needs to take place and the South Africam Goverment and other Southern African leaders should back this. Quiet diplomacy has been given a fair chance and has failed. Mr Mugabe now needs to be held accountable by his peers.

Proudly_South African Proudly_South African - No justice of any kind can be expected when the courts are in the lunatic's pocket.

Well yes moloko moloko, they are just stupid. I never reply to them, waste of time. Unfortunately, they are not just stupid but lacking compassion, illustrated in all of their posts, and that is what hurts most and why I won't read them. I'm in the habit of checking names before I read posts. Boy Boy (2 boy) is a perfect example.

One is either part of the problem or part of the solution as my friend Bob would say. Nevertheless, I think Morgan has made the right decision, interesting play in Zim's new chess game for the inevitable liberation of their people.

Roy Bennett was granted bail. What is all this noise all about?

http://www.newzimbabwe.com/news-1177-Roy+Bennett+granted+bail/news.aspx

MDC-T is truly all confusion, and benefit immensely working under the shadow of a seasoned politician Robert Mugabe.

Africans love glorifying mediocrity. Till today the MDC has not brought to the table groundbreaking initiatives towards improving the life of Zimbabweans. The so-called stability being enjoyed in Zim is a consequence of Gono's (the RBZ-governor the Finance Minister would love to drive out of town!) bold decison to abandon the Zim dollar for the US Dollar and the Rand. END OF STORY.

MDC have done a lot more to bring a modicum of services to Zimbabwe. This can't be said for ZANU PF.

Yes Bennett is white skinned but we are so beyond the lens of colour thank God! He is as Zimbabwean as any black, brown or whatever colour you want to peg people into. We know him as Pachedu in our area in Chimanimani and he has done a hell of a lot more for the people than the apology of black politicians we have had representing us. For that, this counts more than what colour he is.

As for why they have chosen this time to disengage, it is the proverbial last straw that breaks the camel's back. This has not been working for some time and the disgruntlement has been there and has been building. It is only those who are deliberately deaf and dumb that did not see this coming to a head. I agree with this decision as there is no point continuing when the other party ups the finger in your face at every turn.

It is not just MPs standing trial but also the harassment of ordinary people and how they have sought at every turn to block policies that would have seen reform and accountability. One cannot continue to be associated with and therefore legitimizing the madness. As for the economy stabilizing because of Gono, sheesh, spare is us it reveals your total ignorance.

Let us see now how the importent SADC and AU will respond.

The ZANU PF "Prosecutors" even tried to use section 121 to try and keep Bennett in jail for another seven days, pending "Appeal":

http://www.thezimbabwetimes.com/?p=23830

And I repeat my assertions,

The AU and SADC are the stated "Gaurantors" of the deal, the ANC SA Govt are the cause of it, to the extent of lying about violent elections and "Generals non existent reports" to their own parliament, and ZUMA couldn't even get the country on the Agenda at the last SADC meeting.

Let's see what happens now with two parallel govts in Zim, as all the Black Politicians try to pretend their "African Siolution to an African Problem" isn't really a surreal farce and complete mess.

(PS I am quite well aware that Roy Bennett is White. Its why ZANU hate him so much. They seem to have this childish jealousy that Black Zims would support him as he tries to make a life for White people after colonialism, rather than the "Liberation Heroes" who are destroying their country just because they are Black and can do so.)

This unity government had no chance with Rob still bossing the MDC. Its good that the MDC has at last seen the futility of working with a very corrupt, self-serving, dishonest and violent ZANU-PF which everybody knows lost the March 2008 election. What worries most of us is that this whole impasse will go to the toothless SADC for mediation which is full of equally self-serving and dishonest whimps!! Period!!

I said this before that Mugabe and his boys are not going to agree to anything that force them to leave the government. South Africa doesn't have the power to deal with Mugabe because he is a very ruthless man. He stayed in power for twenty eight years by destroying his opposition. The only way that Mugabe will leave office, if he dies or a squadron of F-16 fighter plane armed with laser bombs attack his strong hold. The MDC talking and trying to reason with Mugabe is a waste of time and money because he doesn't give a fuck about the people of Zim.

Mukai Sithole

Tsvangirai had many opportunities to walkout of the GNU and he did not do so. Mugabe provoked Tsvangirai to do so with the jailing of Bennett, in other words Mugabe wanted Tsvangirai to walkout over Bennett and not Gono, the invasion of white farms and all the other clear cut issues where he, Mugabe, would have egg on his face.

Tsvangirai has been outwitted and he did exactly what Mugabe wanted him to do. Can you not see that - not that you are the only one of course Tsvangirai and company did not.

It would be great to have someone who can see through some of Mugabe's political machinations for a change - is that too much to ask!?

proudly south african needs to get a brain. even mugabe admitted there is no evidence against roy bennet so it does not take a rocket scientist to work out no evidence=no case. this is just pure zanu thuggery and harassment.

mugabe admitted in the cnn interview that there was no evidence against roy benett. so if there is no evidence then they clearly have no case. what is going on in zimbabwe is a dictator and his criminal henchman trying to hang on to power at all costs. they have committed to many crimes to just walk away.

@ Wilbert Mukori
Yes you have a point but you don't put forward any solution as to how to beat this Man Mugabe. Unfortunately Mugabe is willingly working for his modern day slave traders who are the Chinese Communist Party and Russian Mafiosi. They supplied him with any quantity of weapons that he used very effectively to get into power. More Black people died from his bullets during the chimurenga than did whites. You can't deal with the likes of Mugabe over the negotiating table even He himself has said that the bullet is mightier than the pen and he has a degree in violence. Mr Tsvangirai should have never even attempted to form this unity government as Zimbabwe couldn't have continued the way it was and big change was imminent.The MDC should quit entirely and let the SADC pick up the debris and should do it NOW with the build up to the world cup soccer approaching. It's their only chance.

@Johann Braunstein, the only way that you can beat Mugabe and his cronies is with a squadron of F-16 fighter planes to bomb the hell out them. Mugabe pretends to forming a government with the MDC hoping that Europeans countries and the US would write them a blank check to draw from. Mugabe knows that he lost the last election but, he is not going to leave because he see Zim. as being his kingdom. Only in Africa that one will find two parallel governments trying to run the country. I think Annan should be shot for starting this trend in Africa. The rulers lose the election but refused to leave office. why have an election in the first place?

@Johann Braunstein
I do not need to "put forward any solution as to how to beat this Man Mugabe" because you yourself has proposed the best solution. Tsvangirai should have never agreed to the GNU Mugabe had no way out. Yes he claimed the bullet was more powerful than the ballot paper. But after the sham June 2008 the whole world shunned him and would not accept him as the legitimate president of Zimbabwe. Tsvangirai, by signing the GPA let Mugabe off the hook. That is why I am calling for someone else with a bit of grey stuff between their ears than Tsvangirai.

We are where we are; what can we do now? Tsvangirai should make a clean break and thus trigger fresh elections.

I would like to see the international community pile on the pressure on Mugabe straight away. Mugabe’s cabal has a lot more people than the 203 individuals and 40 companies listed on the targeted sanctions. That number should grow to three or four times that. All the children and close relatives of named Mugabe inner circle should too have their assets frozen and deported back to Zimbabwe. The targeted sanctions are the only thing that is hurting Mugabe right now, the screw should be turned even tighter.

You do not fight a dictator by boarding a British slave ship, becoming their slave and denouncing the dictator while picking their cotton. Zimbabwe needs real freedom fighters. Tsvangirai is no different from Mugabe. He is a single digit IQ individual when it comes to work for the interest of Africans and a ten digits IQ individual when it comes to take advantage of an opressing regime for his political and Western support gains. How many incompetent leaders or oppressing regimes did the British, the French and the Americans support in Africa?

The Benett saga is a golden opportunity for embarassed Tswangirai to curry favour with his Western masters. A case of the prodigal son heading home in the firm belief daddy will receive me, no conditions attached. Remember the embarrassing Weste tour by Save with a begging bowl in hand? He came back emptyhanded, the master was flexing their muscles to register their disappointment with their regime change stooge for signing to the GNU !!

@Mickey Mouse - distorting facts does not help the situation. Bob did not admit there was no evidence against Bennett. All he said was let the court process unfold!

@Mukai - chameleon Tswangirai does not help anybody. Is this the same Tswangirai who pleaded with Zims in the UK to return home telling them that all was now well in Zim?

It has been concluded that Tswangirai is a pedestrian politician and his claim on 'disengaging' or 'pullout' makes him fit for this label!

@Wilbert - you talk of 'targetted' or smart sanctions. Well in the military it is well known that smart / targetted bombs cause untold collateral damage that is far worse than the damage to the intended target.

@Wilbert - the timeliine quoted above show Tswangirai pleaded with the West to lift sanctions and ooppss even firebrand Biti once joined the frenzy - surely if these sanctions are hurting a small group why would Tswangirai and Biti request that they be lifted. Something is afooot!