Mugabe’s wife enters politics

PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe’s wife Grace’s grand entry into Zimbabwean politics will be dusted and sealed at the weekend when the Zanu (PF) women’s league holds its elective congress.

AT 90, Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe assumes chairmanship of the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) this weekend.

Mr Mugabe’s year at the helm of the 15-nation grouping will begin at Sadc’s 34th summit on Sunday and Monday at Victoria Falls.

The imposing setting will provide the backdrop as Mr Mugabe seeks to polish his profile, worn out in the last decade of Zimbabwe’s political and economic instability.

“Mr Mugabe has never been chair of Sadc before so it’s very symbolic. It is also an opportunity for him to use this platform to rescue some vestiges of a positive legacy,” the Southern Africa director of the International Crisis Group, Piers Pigou, said.

President Jacob Zuma will attend the summit.

Three rights groups yesterday red-flagged Zimbabwe, with Angola, Malawi, Swaziland and Zambia, as Sadc’s main problem countries violating fundamental rights.

Analysts will wait to see how Mr Mugabe uses the Sadc chairmanship to deal with Southern African hotspots — and whether he wants to try to invigorate one of the continent’s least dynamic regional organisations.

One looming challenge is the territorial dispute over parts of Lake Malawi between Malawi, which is vacating the Sadc chair, and Tanzania.

Human rights issues will also be prominent, not only because Zimbabwe is itself consistently criticised but because the leaders of several countries accused of rights abuses are viewed as strong Mugabe allies.

Tiseke Kasambala of Human Rights Watch said yesterday that Sadc leaders should hold each other accountable.

“You cannot talk about sustainable development and economic empowerment in countries where citizens’ rights are abused,” she said.

Mr Mugabe and his wife Grace are the last persons to remain under travel sanctions imposed by the European Union (EU) and the couple, alongside the ruling Zanu (PF)’s top brass, are also on the US sanctions list.

Regardless of his isolation, Mr Mugabe’s excitement over hosting the Sadc summit has been unconcealed and he has urged Zimbabweans to think positively.

“We know our people are going through a very difficult period,” Mr Mugabe said. “However, we are asking you to smile and show the region that we are hospitable people.

“We can welcome visitors, let us smile and for just a moment forget about our problems.”

A year after Mr Mugabe was sworn into power for a seventh consecutive term, living conditions and the economic outlook have deteriorated in Zimbabwe. Widespread company closures, high unemployment and a liquidity crunch have put Zanu (PF) leaders in a difficult position. They can no longer rely on blaming the EU sanctions after most of the measures were removed in February.

Despite the prevailing harsh economic environment, Harare has spared no expense in rolling out the red carpet for the summit. Foreign Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi was quoted this week, saying the event had “cost between $2m and $4m to put together”.

The bulk of the bill is believed to be footed by the private sector, after the cash-strapped government last month appealed to companies for help.