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Why Ramaphosa could not join
Kenya’s peace talks
By A STAFF WRITER
The EastAfrican
10. Feb. 2008
Who invited South African business mogul Cyril Ramaphosa to the
Kofi Annan mediation process in Kenya?
Why did they let the man travel all the way to Kenya - complete
with a team of aides - only to reject him?
Whichever way one looks at it, Ramaphosa’s exit from the mediation
process was not only a setback but a worrisome signal the
brinkmanship and intransigence that was beginning to set in on the
part of President Mwai Kibaki’s negotiating team as the talks
began to deal with the sensitive issue of power sharing.
The EastAfrican has learnt that Ramaphosa was actually invited to
Kenya by Annan himself in consultation with the chairman of the
African Union and Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete and President
Thabo Mbeki of South Africa.
Indeed, it was Tanzania’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Bernard
Bebe who was the first to announce - on the sidelines of last
week’s African Union Summit in Addis Ababa - that Ramaphosa had
been appointed chief mediator in the Kenyan peace process.
Clearly, the irreverent manner in which this internationally
acclaimed peace negotiator was sent packing from the mediation
process is one of the intriguing sideshows of the talks, now
entering their third week.
It does not bode well for the diplomatic relations between Kenya
and both South Africa and Tanzania - the current chair of the
African Union.
Initially, Kibaki’s team argued that Ramaphosa had business links
with Raila Odinga and could not, therefore, play honest broker in
the dispute.
They also argued that considering the history of the African
National Congress and Ramaphosa’s links with the party that led
the liberation struggle in that country, he was likely to be
sympathetic to the Orange Democratic Movement.
Thirdly, Kibaki’s team protested that protocol was not followed in
appointing Ramaphosa to the mediation team.
They were especially irked by the fact that Bebe announced the
appointment in Addis Ababa without reference to the government of
Kenya.
So, what business links does he have in Kenya?
According to information available in the public domain, his
business links locally include Stanbic Kenya, Rentworks Ltd,
Alexander Forbes Financial Services and Helios Capital and
Metropolitan Insurance Company.
He sits on the international advisory councils of both the Coca
Cola Company and Unilever.
Going by the names of personalities involved in these companies,
Ramaphosa’s business links in Kenya would appear to transcend the
political divide.
The founder of South Africa-based Shanduka Group Ltd, Ramaphosa is
a respected corporate executive in South Africa and has served as
chair of large listed South African conglomerates, including
telecommunications giant MTN and publishing house Johnnic Group.
Until recently, he was billed as the man most likely to succeed
Mbeki as president of South Africa. Ramaphosa, 55, has the
reputation of being a tough negotiator and a skilful strategist.
Together with Roelf Meyer of the former Nartional Party, he played
a key role in negotiating the end of apartheid and a new
constitution in the early 1990s. His mediation skills were to
receive international acclaim when, soon after the African
National Congress (ANC) took office in 1994, he was called to
mediate the peace process in strife-torn Northern Ireland from
1995 to 1997.
“It was his ability to drive people right to the edge and make the
stakes really high, so that differing parties had no choice - and
it was that quality that drove the negotiations in South Africa in
the early 1990s,” said Mark Gevisser, political commentator and
author.
“He has ice in his veins - besides, he has also really learnt the
art of finding language to express what both sides want without
fudging the issues.”
“Cyril is a very clear thinker and is very committed to bringing
about a peaceful resolution,” said Meyer, a former minister of
provincial and constitutional affairs in the government of
national unity that took office in 1994 who has worked closely
with Ramaphosa. “He has the ability to see differences almost
immediately, and the way forward.”
On Tuesday, Annan accepted his withdrawal from the mediation talks.
Ramaphosa told Annan that he was withdrawing his name for
consideration for the post of chief mediator in the face of
reservations expressed by the government of Kenya.
Ramaphosa said he could not function in the job without the
complete confidence of both parties.
“My experience in Northern Ireland and South Africa convinced me
that a mediator can be effective only when he has the full
confidence and support of all parties,” he said, “Unfortunately,
this is not the case.”
Annan expressed extreme regret at losing Ramaphosa, whom he
describes as “one of the most experienced and qualified man for
the job, with experience in Africa and a knowledge of and deep
respect for the Kenyan people.”
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