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In another frantic attempt to solve the widening divisions and rising tensions in Zimbabwe’s coalition government, South African President Jacob Zuma will visit Zimbabwe on Wednesday, his office has announced.
According to a statement from Mac Maharaj, the Spokesperson for the Office of the Presidency, Mr Zuma’s visit is “part of South Africa’s responsibility as the Southern African Development Community (SADC) mediator to facilitate the implementation of the Global Political Agreement”.
South Africa has played the role of chief mediator since the violent and disputed elections of 2008, with President Zuma taking over from his predecessor Thabo Mbeki after taking over the presidency in 2009.
South Africa’s mediation efforts helped pave the way for the Global Political Agreement, which was agreed upon by the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (Zanu-PF) led by President Robert Mugabe and the then opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) led by the current Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai.
Analysts say the agreement, which led to the formation in February 2009 of the current power-sharing government, was intended to help diffuse the post-election impasse that threatened to bring the country to a standstill at the time.
Reforms
However, with the current government’s term of office set to come to an end soon and fresh elections due to take place on a yet-to-be-specified date in the near future, little progress has been made on some of the most contentious issues.
Mr Maharaj told South African media on Monday that President Zuma will meet the leaders of the three leading political parties to press for political reforms and new elections under a recently completed draft constitution.
Although representatives of the rival parties completed drafting the constitution last month, Zanu-PF has stalled on efforts to subject it to a referendum this year, saying they want some contentious clauses reviewed.
Commenting on why President Zuma has decided to meet Zimbabwe’s leaders now, Mr Maharaj told Times Live, “It is part of his on-going duties to ensure that the country is on the route for a fair, intimidation-free election”.
President Zuma’s visit comes ahead of the SADC annual summit in Mozambique capital Maputo. 
According to a statement from Mac Maharaj, the Spokesperson for the Office of the Presidency, Mr Zuma’s visit is “part of South Africa’s responsibility as the Southern African Development Community (SADC) mediator to facilitate the implementation of the Global Political Agreement”.
South Africa has played the role of chief mediator since the violent and disputed elections of 2008, with President Zuma taking over from his predecessor Thabo Mbeki after taking over the presidency in 2009.
South Africa’s mediation efforts helped pave the way for the Global Political Agreement, which was agreed upon by the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (Zanu-PF) led by President Robert Mugabe and the then opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) led by the current Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai.
Analysts say the agreement, which led to the formation in February 2009 of the current power-sharing government, was intended to help diffuse the post-election impasse that threatened to bring the country to a standstill at the time.
Reforms
However, with the current government’s term of office set to come to an end soon and fresh elections due to take place on a yet-to-be-specified date in the near future, little progress has been made on some of the most contentious issues.
Mr Maharaj told South African media on Monday that President Zuma will meet the leaders of the three leading political parties to press for political reforms and new elections under a recently completed draft constitution.
Although representatives of the rival parties completed drafting the constitution last month, Zanu-PF has stalled on efforts to subject it to a referendum this year, saying they want some contentious clauses reviewed.
Commenting on why President Zuma has decided to meet Zimbabwe’s leaders now, Mr Maharaj told Times Live, “It is part of his on-going duties to ensure that the country is on the route for a fair, intimidation-free election”.
President Zuma’s visit comes ahead of the SADC annual summit in Mozambique capital Maputo.
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