Glimmer of hope as reluctant Mbeki returns to Zimbabwe

• Former president is set to do what he had said was not going to be necessary

HARARE, Sunday

When Zimbabwe’s political rivals signed an historic power sharing agreement almost a month ago at a glitzy ceremony, former South Africa President Thabo Mbeki joked that he did not want to return to Zimbabwe again.

Praising him as a tough and intelligent negotiator, President Robert Mugabe had made a promise that the new government would be set up without any hurdles because what he considered to be the most difficult part had been overcome.

This was after Mr Mbeki spent a tortuous seven weeks mediating in talks between the ruling Zanu PF and the two factions of the Movement for Democratic Change to form a unity government.

The agreement was hailed as a diplomatic victory for a man who was vilified for his so-called quite diplomacy on the Zimbabwean crisis because few people believed Mr Mugabe could be reformed.

But Mr Mbeki is returning to Harare probably this week after Mr Mugabe and the leaders of the MDC formations, Mr Morgan Tsvangirai and Professor Arthur Mutambara have once again failed to agree on the configuration of the coalition government.

The Southern African Development Community, which appointed Mr Mbeki to mediate in the crisis has confirmed that he is headed back to Harare in a few days to try and break the deadlock.

Questions are however being asked whether he would be successful this time around given his apparent reluctance to intervene and signs that Mr Mugabe is now backtracking.

“In the past two weeks Mr Mbeki had tried to demonstrate that he feels he has done his part on Zimbabwe by refusing to commit himself to continue with his mediation role after his sacking in South Africa,” said Mr Chris Mbanga, political analyst.

“He was justified because the disagreement over the distribution of ministries was not necessary if the parties were really committed to sharing power.”

Will ride his luck

Few Zimbabweans believe, Mr Mbeki will ride his luck again and break the log jam.

After all they were hardly impressed that Mr Mugabe had finally suddenly reformed when he agreed to work with his sworn enemies.

While a number of expectant Zimbabweans celebrated the agreement, others including the donor community chose to take a cautious approach.

Donors elected to give the new government time before they could come to the rescue of Zimbabweans on the brink of a humanitarian crisis because they did not trust the veteran leader to keep his word.