Published: Saturday, May 09, 2009
HARARE — The United States ambassador James McGee reportedlt is going back to the military in a move analysts say is in preparation for anticipated chaos in Zimbabwe the Zimbabwe Telegraph has heard.
Security chiefs - responsible for widespread torture
“I’m going back to the US military, and my speciality will be Zimbabwe,” McGee was quoted by a South African newspaper, Mail & Guardian, as having said this week. When pressed to explain what he meant, his response was curt: “You’ll find out.”
With no solution in sight to the outstanding issues, the government of national unity’s collapse is imminent and that may result in total chaos as Robert Mugabe’s regime clings to power.
The main wing of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) led by Morgan Tsvangirai wants the appointments of the central bank governor, attorney-general, permanent secretaries and diplomats reversed as they were arbitrarily done by the ageing Zimbabwean dictator well after the formation of the unity government.
In a veiled threat, the MDC has given the three principals to the government of national unity (GNU) until Monday to resolve these outstanding issues, failure of which the matter will be referred to the broker of the current arrangement, former South African president, Thabo Mbeki.
Analysts say Mugabe may agree to have Gideon Gono removed from the Reserve Bank but will fight tooth and nail to keep Johannes Tomana as the government chief law officer as removing him would open a flood of prosecutions against him and his regime, accused of widespread human rights abuses and genocide.
Hardliners in the MDC want the GNU agreement to be met to the letter or they pull out of the whole arrangement and force elections, a situation that will be vigorously resisted by Mugabe, sliding the southern African country into a bloodbath.
In such a scenario, analysts say, the US would lobby the African Union and the United Nations to send in troops to restore order and that is where people like McGee, with his present knowledge of Zimbabwe and his diplomatic and military backgrounds, would come in.
Insiders say the move by the US to recall McGee, Mugabe’s arch-critic in the diplomatic community, has sent shockwaves in Zanu PF with many urging the despot and a coterie of hardliners in the ruling party to see sense and allow the Mbeki-brokered arrangement to work as they see it as the only way to escape repercussions of their 29-year misrule.
McGhee has openly criticised Mugabe accusing him of intransigence. He has openly said that until there were real political reforms in Zimbabwe, targeted sanctions will remain in force and his country will not loosen the purse strings.
“The United States has a tendency of forcing its will on weaker nations,” said Saviour Kasukuwere, the Minister of Youth Development, Indigenisation and Empowerment. “But I do not see that happening as we are complying with the GNU agreement.”
When asked if Zanu PF had fully met its side of the bargain, he replied, “You do not expect that to happen overnight, do you? At least we have made some changes and the process is still ongoing.”
“The US wants to invade our country militarily because of our little problems with the MDC,” said Richard Ndlovu, Zanu PF’s acting political commissar. “That is why it has a base in Botswana. But we will shame them and comply with the GNU agreement.”
Many in Zanu PF, however fear prosecution from an MDC government with full executive powers.
“Many do not want to stay in government any longer,” said an analyst in Harare who preferred anonymity. “They have made enough money. All they want now is to go into civilian life unpunished. But they are staying and urging Mugabe on because they are not so certain about the future.”
“Guarantees alone against prosecution are not enough,” quipped another analyst, who also did not want to be identified for obvious reasons. “The new government can make a U-turn on those promises and start taking them to jail one by one.”
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