By Wezi Tjaronda
WINDHOEK
Namibia says the government of Zimbabwe and its people have the capacity to deal with its domestic problems without external interference.
Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, told the press during the weekly Cabinet briefing media session this week that the Zimbabwe situation was an internal matter, which was not governed by bilateral cooperation between the two countries.
The government spoke for the first time on the situation in Zimbabwe, where the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Morgan Tsvangirai and others were allegedly assaulted and tortured while in police custody after being arrested for their involvement in a prayer meeting organised under the ambit of the “Save Zimbabwe Convention”.
She said the government has taken note of the public outcry on the internal situation in Zimbabwe and as a peace-loving nation Namibia believes that any country’s social economic development is dependent on a stable political and socio-economic environment. But she said Namibia does not and would never condone violence, as it was not in the best interest of a county and its people.
Nandi-Ndaitwah added that the government was encouraged to learn that the Zimbabwe government was conducting investigations to establish who was responsible for assaulting Tsvangirai and others.
Zimbabwean Ambassador to Namibia, Chipo Zindoga, last week denied allegations that Tsvangirai and others were beaten up while in police custody, saying nobody knew who beat them up.
The minister said although Namibia and Zimbabwe are in constant communication, the matter would be dealt with by the Organ on Defence and Security (SADC Organ), currently under the chairmanship of Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete.
“It is up to the Tanzanian president. After analysing the situation, if there is need to meet and if we are needed to participate, we will participate,” she added.
News reports indicate that three SADC countries charged with dealing with Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Namibia and Lesotho are planning to meet on March 26 and 27 in Dar-es-Salaam to help find a solution. This came a day after Kikwete held a meeting with President Robert Mugabe.
Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa, who is on a four-day state visit to Namibia also told reporters when he left his country on Tuesday that SADC foreign ministers would soon meet to ponder over the political situation in Zimbabwe.