MUGABE TO GO IT ALONE? - Robb WJ Ellis

The tempo of events in Zimbabwe continue to gather pace - and all of it has a more serious nature than happenings of late.

Which begs the question: What is Robert Gabriel Mugabe up to?

He continues to prosecute the MDC for all and sundry - and then he also has other possible MDC sympathisers arrested on bogus charges, and he shows no sign of relenting.

Roy Bennett's trial continues as I write, and it is apparent that the prosecutor in this case - none other than the unilaterally appointed Attorney-General, Johannes Tomana - is somewhat floored by the strength of the defence case. Tomana also slipped up by presuming a ruling by the sitting judge, and had the temerity to question it with a
comment: "We didn't expect that ruling."

Not that long ago, a State prosecutor was sentenced to five days imprisonment for making a rude noise at a ruling by the judge.

Tomana was not disciplined for that comment, but we begin to wonder if the Bennett trail is not working to a pre-written script. Justice in Zimbabwe is an elusive matter.

We also read of how seven students at the Great Zimbabwe University were arrested for `conducting an illegal meeting' and that then swiftly changed to charges concerning the presence of an illegal weapon.

A security detail within the President's unit has been sentenced to twenty months imprisonment for attempting to sell ammunition - at US$10 a round. (I wonder whether the imprisonment was gauged on the actual intent, or for the audacious price asked per round)

There has been much written about the deadline given by the SADC summit to resolve the outstanding issues - although ZANU PF have denied that a deadline was given, and we see that Mugabe is not in an rush to have the situation sorted out, primarily because that resolution would require him to concede some more power and position to the MDC.

He also attended the food summit in Rome this last week - with a entourage of some 60 people - and really needed to be in Zimbabwe to oversee the negotiations. But since there were no negotiations, his presence would have been negated.

Did he have prior knowledge that nothing would be tabled or discussed while he was away?

There has been talk that Mugabe is entirely disinterested in any negotiations or discussions between his party and the two MDC bodies, and we also are aware of the temperature within the various political circles is heating up.

More and more ZANU PF head honchos are telling the world that they are not finished and that they will `be back' with more verve and vigour. Didymus Mutasa told ABC that ZANU PF have as good as won the next election - even though we are not aware, as yet, of any date of that election.

ZANU PF have already started the operation that they call `voter education' which is a misnomer for exercising their will over the potential MDC voter base.

Even though the three political parties are obliged to live up to the two agreements signed last year, very little has been lived up to by ZANU PF.

Their hate speech has taken on a new level, voter intimidation has increased in measure, the prosecution of MDC MPs and their supporters continue unabated - whilst the MDC can do very little in their own defence.

The MDC is a party borne of the need for DEMOCRATIC change and therefore will not cross the line into crime and violence. For this reason they leave themselves vulnerable.

Is Mugabe intending to abandon any pretence of a unity government and establish a pro-Mugabe police State? Indications on the ground would suggest that this is a probability more than a possibility.

And with Mugabe upping the ante with relative ease, we await the next ZANU PF audacious action.

So let's be careful out there!

Robb WJ Ellis