The Zimbabwean unity government talks have shown virtually no movement in months. The parties barely speak to one another, with the beleaguered opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) briefly staging a walk-out from talks before returning last week and thus, in the words of some, stepping “back from the brink.” The situation is the source of high-level discussions among the region’s Southern African Development Community (SADC) leaders, who, in “when did you stop beating your wife” fashion have had to publicly deny that the oversight organization they created to address Zim, The Joint Monitoring and Implementation Committee (JOMIC), is “toothless.” The Prime Minister, Morgan Tsvangirai of the MDC practically has to plead to be considered an equal partner with President Robert Mugabe and his ZANU-PF party — a plaintive wail that seems to fall on deaf ears. The government, with Mugabe’s ZANU-PF clearly flaunting control of the police and judiciary, has brought what seem to most observers to be patently absurd “terrorism” charges against MDC parliamentary aide Roy Bennett in what increasingly appears to be a show trial. And Zimbabweans living outside of the country are still afraid to go home.
And so what are we to make of the fact that some still argue that all sides are committed to making a power-sharing agreement work and the news that Tsvangirai, in returning from his boycott, is giving Mugabe and his cronies a month to work out a deal? Frankly I have no idea. Perhaps MDC is gluttonous for punishment. Maybe both sides are simply circling one another like exhausted boxers. Maybe whistling past the graveyard is reassuring.
But it seems to me that delay only helps Robert Mugabe. The current status quo, with Mugabe the de facto first among supposed equals may not be status quo ante in which Mugabe loomed supreme, but it is far better for him than a real power-sharing agreement. As it stands now Mugabe is still the single-most powerful individual in the country with the support of a minority of the people but a majority of those with guns, the only majority that matters. In a draw, Mugabe wins. And Mugabe can seemingly play for a draw endlessly.
