Morgan Tsvangirai, Ikulu, Dar Es Salaam.

Thabo Mbeki said:

"Today, I received the letter dated 19 November 2008, which was correctly communicated through the South African Embassy in Harare, written to me by your secretary-general, the Honourable Tendai Biti, MP, concerning Constitutional Amendment No. 19.

"I must confess that the contents of this letter came to me as a complete surprise, causing me grave concern.

"As you know, Mr Biti's letter describes the decisions on Zimbabwe, taken by the November 9 Sadc Extraordinary Summit meeting held in South Africa, as 'a nullity'."

It is then difficult for any of the parties to move in any direction for fear of legitimising the Sadc summit 'ruling'.

The first point I would like to make with regard to the foregoing is that, as you know, we were appointed as facilitator of the Zimbabwe dialogue by Sadc.

"This position was later endorsed by both the African Union and the United Nations, both of which expressly rely on Sadc to facilitate the Zimbabwe dialogue, and thus contribute to the resolution of the Zimbabwe problem.

"You will, therefore, understand that it is absolutely impossible for us as the Sadc-appointed facilitator contemptuously to dismiss solemn decisions of a Sadc summit meeting as 'a nullity'.

"Indeed, and necessarily, all such decisions serve as a binding mandate on the facilitator. What Zimbabweans, the region and Africa now need is the sense of patriotism among the leaders of Zimbabwe.

"You know this, too, that the rest of Southern Africa, your neighbouring countries, has also had the unavoidable obligation to carry much of the weight of the burden of the Zimbabwe crisis, in many ways.

"You know that, among other things, various countries of our region host large numbers of economic migrants from Zimbabwe, who impose particular burdens on our countries.

"Loyal to the concept and practice of African solidarity, none of our countries and governments has spoken publicly of this burden, fearful that we might incite the xenophobia to which all of us are opposed.

"Nevertheless, the leaders of the people of Zimbabwe, including you, dear brother,

need to bear in mind that the pain your country bears is a pain that is transferred to the masses of our people, who face their own challenges of poverty, unemployment and underdevelopment.

"This particular burden is not carried by the countries of Western Europe and North America, which have benefited especially from the migration of skilled and professional Zimbabweans to the North.

"In the end when all is said and done, Zimbabwe would have to exist in peace and productive collaboration with its neighbours in Southern and the rest of Africa.

"Realistically, Zimbabwe will never share the same neighbourhood with the countries of Western Europe and North America and therefore, secure its success on the basis of friendship with these, and contempt for the decisions of its immediate African neighbours.

"I say this humbly to advise that it does not help Zimbabwe, nor will it help you as Prime Minister of Zimbabwe, that the MDC-T contemptuously repudiates very serious decisions of our region and, therefore, our continent, describing them as 'a nullity'.

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"It may be that, for whatever reason, you consider our region and continent as being of little consequence to the future of Zimbabwe, believing that others further away, in Western Europe and North America, are of greater importance.

"In this context, I have been told that because leaders in our region did not agree with you on some matters that served on the agenda of the Sadc Extraordinary Summit meeting, you have denounced them publicly as 'cowards'.

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ganesh said:

Leo tumesikia kwamba Raila ametaka viongozi wa Afirka wafikirie jinsi ya kumuondoa Mugabe na kumtangaza moja kwa moja Tsvangirai kuwa Rais. Ni maneno yametustusha wengi. Lakini ni jambo ambalo linaweza kujadiliwa.
Kwa sababu Mugabe is an old man,who has done his task,na anaweza kupumzika. Na kama ikiwezekana kwa elders kumuomba Kustaafu,itakuwa jambo zuri.
Kenya uhalifu ulitokea,Raila alishinda,tatizo likatanzazuliwa na Kofi Annan solution,kwa kumpa Raila Uwaziri Mkuu. That crime cannot be committed twice. It was a tragedy,Kenya ingeweza kuwa Somalia,lakini,by the Grace of God,there was peace.
This is not about Mugabe. He is a respected person,ameleta Uhuru Zimbawe,na hata akistaafu sasa ataheshimika.
Aombwe aachie ngazi,aondolewe peacefully,emphasi on" peacefully"

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JokaKuu said:

..hakuna nchi iliyoko tayari kubeba gharama za kumuondoa Mugabe madarakani.

..South Africa wanaogopa kuchukua mzigo wa wakimbizi. wana-prefer soft landing ktk kumuondoa Mugabe.

..Botswana wanapiga kelele lakini hawana uwezo wa kijeshi kumtoa Mugabe. zaidi hawana credibility miongoni mwa majirani wa SADC. Botswana haikuwahi kuwawekea vikwazo au kufunga mpaka wake wakati wa utawala wa Smith na makaburu. kipindi hicho Raisi wa Botswana alikuwa Sir.Seretse Khama, baba mzazi wa Raisi wa sasa Lt.Gen.Ian Khama.

..nchi yenye nguvu za kijeshi za kumuondoa Mugabe ni Angola. tatizo ni kwamba Mugabe aliwasaidia sana wakati wakipigana na Savimbi wa Unita. Mozambique nao ndio usiseme; deni lao kwa Zimbabwe, ZDF,ZANU-PF, na Mugabe, halina mfano.

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