Southern African Leaders Seen Divided On Zimbabwe Solution
President Ian Khama of Botswana says the SADC leaders should consider an internationally supervised rerun of Zimbabwe's March president
Leaders of theSouthern African Development Community will meet in summit on Sunday in South Africa aiming to break the deadlock in the troubled Zimbabweanpower-sharing process, but the SADC leaders could findthemselves deeply divided as well. Spokesman Ronnie Mamoepa of the South African Department of Foreign Affairs told VOA that the precise venue in South Africa will be decided on Wednesday. Botswanan President Ian Khama has already taken a strong position, saying the SADC leaders should consideran internationally supervised rerun of Zimbabwe's turbulent March presidential electionas a way to break the entrenched deadlock. Khama said it "should beunacceptable for ruling parties to seek to manipulate election outcomes toextend their stay in power, as this is bad for democracy on ourcontinent." African diplomatic sources said President Robert Mugabe andprime minister-designate Morgan Tsvangirai have been working the phones seekingsupport from regional heads. The diplomats said some SADC leaders want to read Mr. Mugabe the riot act and recommend the matter be taken to the United Nations Security Council. But these sources said Mr. Mugabe is likely to find support from Mozambique, Swaziland, Lesotho, Malawi and Namibia. Tsvangirai could have Angola, South Africa, Tanzania, Botswana, Zambia and Mauritius in his corner,the diplomats said. British Minister for Africa Mark Malloch-Brown told the House of Lords Monday that while African leadersare dismayed by Mr. Mugabe's conduct though not saying it publicly. He said the leaders "as a wholeare in no doubt, in private conversations, about their dismay at the damagethat President Mugabe is doing to his country and the region; but, as hasalways been the case, they often find it difficult to express that complaintpublicly, for fear that it would merely strengthen Mugabe’s position at home." .