The summit of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Co-operation will be held to review the political situation in the region. But, the focus will be on President Robert Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangaria. The two leaders formed the unity government to end political violence that erupted after last year's failed presidential elections.
Two weeks ago, Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party suspended co-operation with Mugabe's Zanu-PF party in protest over the prosecution of the MDC's Deputy Agriculture Minister-designate Roy Bennett. The MDC claims he is being prosecuted on trumped up charges.
Since then the political tension between Tsvangarai and Mugabe has heightened, a move which political analyst say has the potential to once again trigger incidents of political violence. Now, regional leaders who include the chairperson of SADC President Joseph Kabila of the DRC, his Mozambican counterpart Armando Guebuza and Zuma will meet in Maputo today to pressurise Zimbabwean leaders to resolve their political differences which threatens the survival of the shaky unity government. The unity deal which was brokered late last year is meant to draft a new constitution that will pave the way for fresh elections.
* SABC
