Pan African Parliament Rejects Fact-Finding Mission to Zim 


The Herald (Harare)


NEWS
26 October 2007 
Posted to the web 26 October 2007 
Harare 

The  Pan African Parliament meeting in Midrand, South Africa, on Wednesday rejected a motion to send a fact-finding mission to Zimbabwe after the House voted against it in yet another diplomatic victory for the country. 

Inkatha Freedom Party MP Ms Suzanne Vos moved the motion at the 15th session sitting, arguing that the mission should be sent as was agreed in May this year. She urged the bureau of PAP "to proceed as a matter of urgency with arrangements required to send a fact-finding mission to the Republic of Zimbabwe" as was agreed at the last session, but the House rejected the motion. 

     
Speaking from South Africa yesterday, Zanu-PF Chief Whip Cde Joram Gumbo, who is leading the Zimbabwean delegation to the meeting, said the motion was rejected on a technicality after they successfully argued that it could not be moved twice after it was presented in May. He said Ms Vos had argued that the mission could not be aborted for financial reasons as the parliament could seek the funds from other sources. "We opposed the motion because the House could not implement a motion which fails and then reintroduce it. We also made it clear that the parliament could only use funds from the African Union, not suspicious sources from outside. 

"The House had a protracted debate leading to a vote and Ms Vos was the only one who voted in favour while the whole House voted against the motion," he said. 

Cde Gumbo said even the MP from Botswana, Mr Boyce Sebeleta, who had seconded the motion in the last session, was nowhere to be seen during the voting. Cde Gumbo said the latest diplomatic victory by Zimbabwe shows that the continent had finally built some confidence in efforts being made by the people of Zimbabwe and the region to resolve the country's challenges. Other members of the Zimbabwe parliamentary delegation in South Africa are Chief Fortune Charumbira, Cde Charles Majange (Zanu-PF), Senator Sheila Mahere (Non-Constituency) and Ms Paurina Mpariwa (MDC). 

"The rejection of the motion shows that Africa has confidence in the Sadc-initiated talks being led by (South African) President Thabo Mbeki. "The countries have also come to understand the situation in Zimbabwe and have decided to give the ongoing talks a chance," Cde Gumbo said. He added that it also shows the progress being made through the dialogue between the ruling Zanu-PF and the opposition parties has impressed the countries. "We brought before the Parliament evidence that indicated how much progress has been made in the talks, especially the successful passing of the Constitutional Amendment No. 18 Bill," he said. 

PAP president Ms Getrude Mongella said the PAP would send an observer mission to the harmonised elections scheduled for early next year. Delegates had, during the first session in May, voted to send a mission to Zimbabwe after opposition MDC representatives and other parliamentarians from some African countries raised allegations of human rights abuses by the Zimbabwean authorities. 

Zimbabwe's latest diplomatic victory comes shortly after a meeting of European Union foreign affairs ministers in Lisbon, Portugal, ignored calls by Britain to send a human rights envoy before the EU-Africa Summit set for December this year. 

EU parliamentarians visiting the PAP last week also dealt British Premier Mr Gordon Brown a body blow after coming out in full support of President Mugabe's attendance at the summit. Mr Brown had caused division in Europe after threatening to boycott the summit in the event that President Mugabe is invited. He, however, faced stiff resistance from fellow EU countries - Germany and the hosts Portugal - while Africa has solidly stood for President Mugabe's attendance. 

Sadc member states have also threatened to boycott the summit en masse if President Mugabe was barred from attending it. 



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