(TALKZIMBABWE) Sadc urges convening of parliament

Sadc urges convening of parliament
Ranganai Chidemo
Mon, 18 Aug 2008 07:58:00 +0000

Opposition leaders Arthur Mutambara (L-behind), Morgan Tsvangirai (L-front) and Tendai Biti (R) attend the SADC meeting in Johannesburg on Sunday 17 August, 2008

THE Southern African Development Community (Sadc) meeting ended Sunday with heads of states urging President Robert Mugabe to reconvene Zimbabwe's parliament despite continuing negotiations between him and opposition Movement for Democratic Change leader Morgan Tsvangirai.

The call was contained in a communiqué issued after a meeting of the Sadc organ on politics, defence and security on Zimbabwe held in Johannesburg earlier Sunday.

“While negotiations (on a government of national unity) are continuing it may be necessary to convene parliament to give effect to the will of the people as expressed in the parliamentary elections held on March 29, 2008,” the communiqué said.

President Mugabe's Zanu PF party has been pushing for parliament to be reconvened since opposition Tsvangirai walked away from a meeting with the Zanu PF party and the other formation of the MDC led by Professor Arthur Mutambara. .

The main summit of the 15-nation Sadc grouping had failed to resolve a disagreement between President Mugabe and Tsvangirai on how they would share power in an all-inclusive government. It was chaired by President Thabo Mbeki of South Africa. This will be Mbeki’s last role in the regional group as he is due to step down in May next year.

Reconvening parliament will mean that President Mugabe will be recognized by the opposition as President.

In urging President Mugabe to reconvene parliament, the Sadc organ in its communiqué “expressed strong opinion that documents as contained in the facilitators’ report are a good basis for a global agreement”.

The documents which are basically an agreement between the parties in the unity talks are viewed by the MDC-T as inadequate and unacceptable. Tsvangirai argued that the documents did not sufficiently guarantee his authority, and were therefore unacceptable.

In defending his decision to boycott the talks last week Tsvangirai told Sadc leaders during the summit; “A prime minister cannot be given responsibility without authority and be expected to deliver.”

The three parties to the talks agreed in a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that Sadc should play a key role as mediator. Sadc, together with the mediator, Preisdnet Mbeki and the African Union will underwrite the final agreement. Section 11 of the MoU says “The implementation of the Global Political Agreement that the Parties will conclude shall be underwritten and guaranteed by the Facilitator, SADC and the AU.”

MDC-T reaction Sadc’s call

The Secretary General of the MDC-T party, Tendai Biti said if President Mugabe reconvenes parliament he will be breaching the MoU signed by Zanu PF and the two MDC formations which set down rules for the tripartite talks.

The MoU orders that the parties to the unity talks should not convene parliament or form a new government “save by consensus.” Section 9 of the MoU stipulates that “The Parties shall not, during the subsistence of the Dialogue, take any decisions or measures that have a bearing on the agenda of the Dialogue, save by consensus. Such decisions or measures include, but are not limited to the convening of Parliament or the formation of a new government.”

Said Biti: “We hope that no one would do anything to breach the Memorandum of Understanding on the talks.” He also reiterated that the sticking point in the talks was a point “of principle”. Sources privy to the negotiators say the sticking point pertained to the distribution of executive power between President Mugabe and Morgan Tsvangirai in his new role as Prime Minister. MDC is said to have “stuck by its guns”.

President Mbeki, who had hoped for a deal over the weekend, expressed his hopes for a “speedy conclusion to the negotiations so that it becomes possible to address the enormous challenges that face the people of Zimbabwe.”

He reiterated that any lasting solution to the Zimbabwe crisis will have to involve all the parties involved.

Zim Guardian/AFP