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As the cholera outbreak in Zimbabwe spreads across regional borders, southern African governments have come together to discuss a regional strategy to stem the outbreak. But the cholera outbreak and other emergency conditions are symptoms of the broader political crisis in Zimbabwe. There will be no end to the suffering unless regional leaders acknowledge this fact.

The world has watched this collapse as it has evolved. A recent Human Rights Watch mission to Zimbabwe documented the abusive policies, corruption and repressive governance that have led directly to the economic collapse, humanitarian crisis and growing public desperation. Poor governance, state-sponsored violence , intimidation and corruption have not only prevented Zimbabwe’s citizens from exercising their civil and political rights but have also denied them their right to satisfy their most basic social and economic needs — for food, health and clean water.

The lack of safe drinking water, which caused the cholera outbreak, is the direct result of the government’s economic mismanagement and poor governance. Many Zimbabweans have not had access to water that meets even basic sanitary requirements for almost a year now because of the poor maintenance of delivery systems.

As for access to food, the state-sanctioned post-election violence not only destroyed many granaries, but also led to much forced displacement, leaving much of the population dependent on food assistance. Official interference in the operations of humanitarian agencies that distribute food aid worsened the crisis.

Southern African leaders need to recognise that the food and health crises in Zimbabwe cannot be separated from the political crisis. People are not only losing their political rights, they are dying of disease and hunger as a direct result of the situation. Sadly, the indications are that regional leaders continue to tiptoe around the problem.

With Robert Mugabe refusing to cede any meaningful executive power to the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), the power-sharing agreement signed on September 15 is no longer viable. The world hoped that the agreement would lead to the end of his government’s abusive practices, the formation of a credible government of national unity and a gradual recovery in the country’s economic and social conditions.

However, southern Africa — SA in particular — has continued to hide behind the failed efforts of its mediator, Thabo Mbeki. Mugabe has been left in the driver’s seat to continue with his abusive policies and practices, while Mbeki chose a soft target, casting MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai as the more intransigent party in the mediation process, and placed all the pressure on him to end the political impasse.

Leaders of Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries continue to push Tsvangirai to sign an agreement that would leave Mugabe in control of repressive institutions of the state.

SADC leaders need to move beyond the mindset of a quick backroom political fix that leaves Mugabe running critical institutions that have caused the very policies which have led to Zimbabwe’s food and health crisis. International assistance in bringing an end to the current humanitarian crisis may help Zimbabweans in the short term, but there can be no long-term solutions unless repressive political institutions are dismantled and abusive policies and corrupt practices are halted.

SADC leaders should exert concerted political pressure, insisting on a clear political reform agenda that includes dismantling security structures and reforming the police and other repressive institutions. An end to corruption and human rights abuses are absolute requirements for a settlement of the crisis. SADC leaders must not accept any deal short of that.

Until that happens, the humanitarian crisis in Zimbabwe — and its harmful and spreading effect on the rest of the region — will continue.

Kasambala is senior researcher on Zimbabwe for Human Rights Watch.

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