(HERALD) Politburo happy with Zanu-PF, MDC talks

Politburo happy with Zanu-PF, MDC talks
Herald Reporters

THE Zanu-PF Politburo yesterday "noted with satisfaction" progress in the talks between the ruling party and the opposition MDC. Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Cde Patrick Chinamasa presented a report on the talks at a Politburo meeting at the Zanu-PF Headquarters in Harare. Cde Chinamasa is part of the Zanu-PF team to the talks. The South African-mediated talks between Zanu-PF and the MDC were among issues discussed at yesterday’s Politburo meeting.

"The Politburo also received a report from the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Cde Patrick Chinamasa, and noted with satisfaction the progress that has been made in the dialogue with the opposition. The meetings are still continuing," said a statement released by the Zanu-PF information and publicity department after the meeting.

The two parties held another round of talks in Pretoria, South Africa, on Saturday while other series of negotiations have also taken place in Harare. The Herald understands some of the meetings have been held without the South African facilitators.

In March this year, Sadc tasked South African President Thabo Mbeki to mediate between Zanu-PF and MDC and the regional grouping noted — at its last summit in Lusaka, Zambia, last month — that the talks were progressing well.

However, MDC faction leader Mr Morgan Tsvangirai’s recent visit to Australia to celebrate the imposition of sanctions against Zimbabwe and seek the intervention of Canberra were out of step with the spirit of the talks and a slap in the face of President Mbeki’s mediation.

Mr Mbeki’s preconditions for the talks clearly stated that it was the responsibility of Zimbabweans to resolve their problems and not foreigners. The Politburo also discussed the Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment Number 18 Bill.

According to the statement, the Politburo wants some changes to the Bill already published and these will be put to the vote during the Committee Stage when the Bill is before Parliament. There were further deliberations on the amendment.

"The Politburo . . . has approved the introduction through Parliament of Committee Stage amendments to the Bill.

"Details of the Committee Stage amendments approved by the Politburo will be tabled in Parliament by the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs (Cde Chinamasa) on Tuesday 18 September 2007 during the presentation of his second reading speech on Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment Number 18 Bill," read the statement.

The proposed constitutional amendment seeks to harmonise from next year the Presidential and Parliamentary elections, reducing the Presidential term to five years with a Parliamentary dissolution automatically triggering a Presidential election as well. A vacancy in the office of President between Parliamentary polls will be filled by the Senate and House of Assembly voting together to elect a new President.

The second major set of changes in the Bill concerns Parliament itself, with the House of Assembly becoming a larger but almost purely elected chamber as all chiefs and provincial governors move to the Senate.

The proposed new House in the Bill would have 210 members, 200 elected in single-member constituencies and 10 appointed by the President.

The proposed new Senate in the Bill would have 84 members. Each of the 10 provinces would elect five and these would be joined by the 10 governors, the president and vice president of the Council of Chiefs, two chiefs from each of the eight non-metropolitan provinces elected by fellow chiefs in their province, two Presidential appointees to represent Harare and Bulawayo, the provinces without chiefs, and four other Presidential appointees.

There are other proposals to give specific duties to each House.

Committee Stage amendments tend to concentrate on detail, leaving the principal of a Bill untouched.