August

 

There is no agreement to date. It is believed a major stumbling block is the role and power of the President and the proposed new post of Prime Minister.

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) summit takes place this weekend in Johannesburg. (16th and 17th August).  It is understood that Mugabe has been invited (as Head of State).  Botswana has stated he should not be there and they will not attend if he does.  The Congress of South Africa Trade Unions (COSATU) supported by the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) and many other organisations is holding a march to the SADC summit calling for democracy in Zimbabwe and Swaziland.  It is widely expected that discussions/negotiations will take place during the SADC summit.   There has been speculation that Zanu PF and the smaller MDC- Mutambara group which won 10 seats in the assembly elections and holds the balance of power have come to an agreement.  This has been denied by leading figures in the Mutambara Group.  Zanu PF have also stated they have been in contact with elected members of the MDC Tsvangirai to get them to support Zanu PF if and when parliament is finally convened.

The speculation is that Mugabe and Zanu PF want the President to be Mugabe and that he will be both Head of State and Head of Government.  MDC Tsvangirai want Tsvangirai to be the Prime Minister and Head of Government with executive power.

 It is being reported that agreement has been reached so far on the following 13 issues: 

1. To lift all sanctions against Zimbabwe,
2. to resist undue external interference,
3. to condemn any attempts by foreign powers to effect regime change,
4. for the UK to accept primary responsibility to pay compensation for expropriated land,
5. for a holistic audit of land ownership to be carried out,
6. for multiple farm ownership and farm productivity to be dealt with by parliament, 
7. to end all violence,
8. to disband the youth militia,
9. for the restoration of civil liberties including freedom of expression and communication,
10. to call on foreign governments to desist from hosting and funding radio stations,
11. to reform state institutions,
12. to facilitate unfettered access for aid groups and

13. to promote national healing and cohesion.

July

A month in Zimbabwe: An update.

Read the latest news on the situtaion in Zimbabwe for the the month of July

 >> Zimbabwe Update: July 2008 (PDF)

 June

A Month in Zimbabwe: An Update.

Read the latest news on the situation in Zimbabwe for the month of June.

 >> Zimbabwe Update: June 2008 (PDF)

 ZCTU leadership court case - Demonstration

The General Secretary and President of Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) have been detained at the Harare Central Police Station in connection with the speeches made by them on May Day. They have been charged with inciting people to rise against the government and spreading falsehoods about the current political crisis in your country. Read more and take action now!

An Yue Jiang heading South from Luanda
 
Late in the morning of Friday 9th May the An Yue Jiang, carrying arms intended for use in Zimbabwe, was off the coast of Namibia, in international waters, heading South. It is predicted if the vessel continues at its current speed and course it will arrive off the coast of Cape Town on Monday 12th May.

The trade union movement across southern Africa has blocked the delivery of the arms for Zimbabwe, and make it impossible for them to be removed from the ship on land or sea

Zimbabwe's opposition still rejects run-off

Zimbabwe's opposition said on Thursday that it is still not planning to participate in a presidential run-off against President Robert Mugabe. "Our official position still remains the same that we are not participating," MDC Secretary General Tendai Biti told reporters. But he added that the MDC would hold important talks with civic society groups from Zimbabwe and will hold a news conference "to put this issue to rest".

Mbeki to visit Zimbabwe to meet leaders

South African President Thabo Mbeki, who has mediated in Zimbabwe, will travel to Harare to meet political leaders, the Foreign Ministry said, as an election stalemate raised fears of widespread violence. "During his visit President Mbeki is expected to interact with the Zimbabwean political leadership," Ronnie Mamoepa, a spokesman for South Africa's department of foreign affairs, said.

Zimbabwe deadlock hurts efforts on economy

Zimbabwe's election stalemate is harming prospects for rescuing the battered economy and political opponents need to work together to reach a solution, the central bank governor said. Gideon Gono said divisions in parliament could make it hard to pass laws. "My ability to deal with inflation and the normalisation of the economy might also be seriously compromised," Gono said in an opinion piece in the Financial Gazette.

Zimbabwe ruling party to fight 52 MDC seats in court

Zimbabwe's ruling ZANU-PF will launch a legal challenge to 52 parliamentary seats won by the opposition MDC, a party official said. ZANU-PF chief election agent Emmerson Mnangagwa said ruling party candidates had filed petitions in court related to 52 constituencies. The MDC won 99 seats in the March 29 elections, compared to the ruling party's 97 and 10 won by a breakaway MDC faction.

Zimbabwe opposition wins poll but faces run-off

Zimbabwe's opposition Movement for Democratic Change has won a March 29 presidential election but faces a second-round vote after its leader failed to garner enough votes against President Robert Mugabe, an electoral body said. Zimbabwe Electoral Commission Chief Elections Officer Lovemore Sekeramayi said MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai had 47.9 percent of the vote, beating President Robert Mugabe with 43.2 percent

Zimbabwe opposition says poll result scandalous

"This whole thing is a scandal, scandalous daylight robbery and everyone knows that. We won this election outright, and yet what we are being given here as the outcome are some fudged figures meant to save Mugabe and ZANU-PF," MDC spokesman Nelson Chamisa. The MDC must now decide at the weekend if it will contest a run-off presidential vote, party Secretary General Tendai Biti said. The party has won the country's March 29 presidential vote but Zimbabwe's electoral commission said it faced a second round because opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai failed to score an absolute majority.

Mugabe to contest run-off vote

Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe accepted that he had lost the country's presidential elections and will contest a run-off vote. "The presidential result as announced do not reflect the genuine expression of the will of the Zimbabwean people given the many anomalies, malpractices, deflation of figures relating to ZANU-PF candidates," chief election agent Emmerson Mnangagwa told reporters.

EU Commission wants Zimbabwe run-off monitoring

The European Commission called on Friday for Zimbabwe to allow international monitors to ensure a free and fair presidential run-off after the electoral body there said no clear winner emerged from the first round. "We call for an international observation presence right from the start of the proceedings," the EU executive body said in a statement, insisting that the second round must be "free and fair and run in the correct way".

Zimbabwe begins checks of presidential vote results

Officials have begun verifying the results of Zimbabwe's March 29 presidential poll, a representative of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission said. The process began one day after senior government sources said that opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai had beaten President Robert Mugabe in the election but not by enough of a margin to avoid a run-off ballot.