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Mugabe, Tsvangirai, Mutambara pledge to forget past antagonisms and un

Mugabe, Tsvangirai, Mutambara pledge to forget past antagonisms and un
By George Chellah and Kingsley Kaswende in Harare
Tuesday September 16, 2008 [04:00]

POLITICAL leaders in Zimbabwe have pledged to forget their antagonistic past and unite in an all-inclusive government to end the country's crisis. But President Robert Mugabe cautioned that for the unity to last, political actors have to be guided by certain principles to which he had no exceptions.

President Mugabe, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, Deputy Prime Minister Professor Arthur Mutambara and mediator, South African President Thabo Mbeki yesterday signed the unity agreement that has taken seven torturous weeks to arrive at.

The Harare International Conference and Convention Centre at the Rainbow Towers Hotel was a hive of activity as thousands of political activists from all parties sang and chanted outside while the signing ceremony attended by 12 regional heads of state and their representatives went on inside.
The leaders pledged to bury their antagonistic history of intense rivalry to work together to rebuild the nation.

But President Mugabe, who has agreed to cede substantial though not absolute power to his new Prime Minister Tsvangirai, said after the signing ceremony that for the agreement to last, there were certain principles that political actors needed to adhere to. He said no leader in the unity government must tolerate interference by imperialists.

"The regional leaders were with us yesterday, they are with us today. They have come to our assistance again, our African neighbours and compatriots. I don't see any British amongst them. There is no American amongst them. They are African because Zimbabwe is African... And this is what we have been talking about, that African problems must be sorted out by Africans.

The problem we have had is one created by former colonial powers who wanted to continue to interfere in domestic affairs and continue to have a share in our natural resources. We have said Zimbabwean land belongs to Zimbabweans. As we proceeded to acquire that land and apportion it to Zimbabweans, our erstwhile colonial masters said, no, that will not go unchecked," President Mugabe said. "Let's know what the issue here is.

They spoke of regime change and are still speaking of it. They imposed sanctions. We have not done anything to Britain, we had not attacked Britain or the Americans. Why, why, why the hand of the British? Why, why, why the hand of the Americans here? Let's not forget that. Let's not ignore the truth. As we move forward, we must accept reality. As we move forward from now on, certain principles have to guide us because if this unity is going to last, certain principles have to be observed along the way.

"Zimbabwe is a sovereign state. And only the people of Zimbabwe have the fundamental right to change their government. There are laws if this democracy is to mean anything. There are laws in setting up government, there are laws in removing government.

No one else has the right to decide on regime change in this country. It is the right of our people. So that principle must remain uppermost in our thinking, our actions and in our planning. We are a sovereign people with a right of self-determination."
He also said the new Zimbabwean government would only co-operate with friendly forces.
"We also recognize that as Africans we cooperate in that framework with African brothers. We'll only cooperate with those who are well disposed towards us, not those who want to impose their own will to us," he said.
President Mugabe said there were a lot of things that he disagreed with in the agreement, but still proceeded to sign it.

"There are a lot of things in the agreement I did not like and I still don't like. There are a lot of things President Mbeki did not like in the agreement and still does not like, but he 's a very patient man. I thought I knew him better, now I know him thoroughly," he said.
However, President Mugabe said he was committed to the deal, but that his team would have to groom the MDC into government.

"We are committed to the deal and we'll do our best. We know that for the MDC it's the first time you are coming into government. We'll have that readiness to work and provide experience where we can. You don't start from nothing, you need experience. Certain things have been done well in the past, that's experience. Certain things have been done badly in the past, that's also experience," he said.

In his speech, Prime Minister Tsvangirai thanked President Mbeki for his efforts in finding a solution to the Zimbabwean situation.

"I would like to pay particular tribute to the late president Levy Mwanawasa who worked tirelessly and it will serve as an enduring part of his legacy," Tsvangirai said. "I also want to thank the people of Zimbabwe for adhering to the principles of peaceful democracy and development."

He said his party believed in all the commitments contained in the agreement.
"People may ask how we who have been opponents of each other can work together. Let me quote the words of President Robert Mugabe: 'let us turn our swords into plough shears'," said Tsvangirai referring to President Mugabe's reconciliatory speech in 1980.
Tsvangirai said looking back provided him with the energy to move forward for the country.

"Our nation looks towards us to deliver the promises. Let's put aside our differences and unite," he said.
"We deserve to stand tall and be proud for what we have achieved and what we will achieve in future," he said.

Tsvangirai said the agreement would see the return of hope to Zimbabweans' lives.
"It's this hope that provides the foundation of this agreement that we have signed today. It is this hope that must unite all Zimbabweans as we move forward," he said.
Tsvangirai said the all-inclusive government would introduce a new way of governing.
"As Prime Minister-designate I call on all supporters of ZANU-PF and MDC to unite and work together. Divisions, polarisation and hatred belong to the past," Tsvangirai said. "A new beginning will be built more quickly with the support of the international community. We appeal to the international community to assist us in rebuilding our nation."
He said ZANU-PF was the party of Zimbabwe's liberation while the MDC was the people's party.
"Party divisions and party levels no longer matter to the people of Zimbabwe. We will stop the devastating food shortages in the country. The first priority of this government will be to unlock food accessibility in this country. We need to restore our economy. Let us not be divided by our past but united by hope," Tsvangirai said.
Tsvangirai's deputy, Prof Arthur Mutambara urged political parties to put national interests first.

"The negotiators worked so hard to make this day a reality," he said.
Prof Mutambara said the signing of the deal was a short-term measure to extricate Zimbabwe from its worse situation.

"What we have is a compromised document, a limited document. It is the best short-term measure to extricate our country from its worst scenario," he said. "This is victory for African solutions to African problems. This is a victory for Africa. It's a victory for Zimbabweans. Today is just but the beginning. Hard work starts today. This document is simply a creation of a framework for us to resolve this crisis," Prof Mutambara said.
Prof Mutambara said there were challenges that still faced the implementation of the agreement.

"(These are) polarisation and divisions in our country...we have people that are going to work together who used to be enemies. This government has to make some very painful decisions to drive this country forward," Prof Mutambara said. "National healing is not enough for the three (leaders). We must make sure the healing cascades from the top to the grassroots...to the villages. There is no longer ruling party, there is no opposition party. We are now working together."
AU chairman President Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania praised the Zimbabwean leaders for the achievement.

"It's a happy day for Zimbabwe, the region and Africa. The Zimbabwe crisis had attracted the concern of many players, a number of whom are beyond the continent. The signing of the agreement is but the beginning of a new era for Zimbabwe, a new era for reconstruction. Today's agreement is a major victory for the people of Zimbabwe. With the agreement they can begin to look at the future with hope," he said.

President Kikwete said the coalition government was a result of the AU summit in Egypt, which prodded the Zimbabwean leaders to work together to find a solution.
"The signing of the agreement is testimony of your sincerity. Until yesterday, the people of Zimbabwe looked like the worst losers. Today, they are the best winners," he said.
President Kikwete urged the political leaders to ensure that the agreement was implemented to the letter.
Facilitator President Mbeki urged African leaders to help Zimbabwe with their financial resources.

He mentioned agriculture as an area that needed urgent attention.
He said SADC and the AU had a continuing responsibility towards Zimbabwe.
"We'll continue to work together to ensure the realisation of the objectives of the agreement. We also have to ensure that the region and continent extend help to the people of Zimbabwe," President Kikwete said.

SADC organ on Defence, Politics and Security chairperson King Mswati III called for the lifting of sanctions and the extension of financial resources to rebuild Zimbabwe.

"People of Zimbabwe have suffered. They need to be assisted without further delay," said President Kikwete.

Labels: MORGAN TSVANGIRAI, MUGABE, NATIONAL UNITY GOVERNMENT, ZIMBABWE

posted by MrK @ 6:06 AM