Maravi

(TALKZIMBABWE) We want power, not positions – Tsvangirai

We want power, not positions – Tsvangirai
Ranganai Chidemo
Fri, 22 Aug 2008 02:36:00 +0000

THE leader of the Movement for Democratic Change has indicated that his party is not interested in positions, but ‘real power’ saying that his party will not accept anything short of a Prime Minister position with full authority to govern.

Morgan Tsvangirai who was speaking to reporters in Kenya’s capital, Nairobi where he is visiting the newly installed Prime Minister, Raila Odinga also said the framework on roles of the proposed PM and President had led to the stalling of the ongoing talks.

Breaking his vowed silence on discussing the progress of the talks, Tsvangirai gave an indication of where the “sticking point” was in the talks. "We have agreed that under the new creation, there must be a prime minister and the president. How to share the authority and responsibility over government is the main stumbling block," said Tsvangirai to journalists gathered at Nairobi’s Intercontinental Hotel.

Tsvangirai also insisted that he will not serve as a junior to President Robert Mugabe.

“How do you distinguish between the Head of State and Head of Government without necessarily defining anyone as ceremonial? It is not envisaged that the president becomes ceremonial but also it’s not envisaged the other party becomes a ceremonial PM.”

Tsvangirai also revealed that if an all-inclusive government was to be formed it would only be transitional, running for two-and-half years. He said the roles of the two positions (PM and President) for the two-and-half years of transition were a fundamental basis for the talks.

He said the position of PM, if it was to be created, should have the “necessary authority” to run government.

“If we are going to create a position of Prime Minister, not only should he or she have authority to run government but should also have powers to drive and transform government. One cannot be a junior partner to another. It is not the sharing of position but it is the sharing of power,” he said.

Tsvangirai’s visit to Kenya comes at a time when the main political parties are currently engaged in all-party negotiations to form an all-inclusive government.

Tsvangirai’s party had earlier indicated that he (Tsvangirai) would be visiting leaders of the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) – the regional body that gave President Thabo Mbeki of South Africa the mandate to mediate in the talks.

The visit to Kenya, however, came as a surprise as the MDC-T leader had made such a visit earlier this year and as his party had not indicated that he would make a visit outside the Sadc region.

Tsvangirai said that he had flown to the East African country to consult his close ally on the country's experience on power sharing model to find a way forward by learning how the ODM/PNU coalition (Grand Coalition Government) in Kenya was working.

Prime Minister Odinga, who held private talks with the MDC-T leader (a close ally of his) at his Karen residence in Nairobi, is a harsh critic of President Mugabe’s government. The two leaders’ parties are part of an international organisation made up of opposition parties – the Liberal International, whose membership includes South Africa’s Democratic Alliance, Mozambique’s National Resistance (Renamo) party led by Afonso Dhlakama and the UK’s Liberal Democratic Party (whose leader Nick Clegg has called for military action against President Mugabe’s government).

The Parti Démocratique Sénégalais (Senegalese Democratic Party) of President Maitre Abdoulaye Wade is also part of the LI. Tsvangirai has consulted the Senegalese President in the past and shared a platform with him at the LI Annual Congress earlier this year.

NON-NEGOTIABLES

Media reports had earlier speculated that President Mugabe would be reduced to a ceremonial leader, while all the executive power would be vested in the Prime Minister, a position which would be created for the MDC-T leader.

Zanu PF had indicated prior to the talks that the position of PM was “non-negotiable” – among other conditions. The ruling party argued that the June 27 run-off presidential election was won resoundingly by President Mugabe after the MDC-T leader boycotted the election citing increasing violence and intimidation; hence the issue of the presidency was “a done deal”.

The MDC-T leader maintained that “the will of the people as expressed in the March 29 election puts the burden of government in the hands of our party”. The March 29 election did not produce a winner, as an outright 50 plus one percent was required of a candidate to form a government.

Both President Mugabe and Tsvangirai failed to secure the required majority forcing a run-off Presidential election to be carried out.

Tsvangirai’s statement was the clearest indication to date of the proposals being discussed by the parties. A media blackout had been imposed on talks before they stalled over the issue of executive power.

Labels: MDC, MORGAN TSVANGIRAI

posted by MrK @ 3:49 AM