(LUSAKATIMES) Tsvangirai and Mutambara's letter to President Zuma

Tsvangirai and Mutambara's letter to President Zuma
Fri, 29 May 2009 02:27:00 +0000

THE following is a letter written by the Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara to South African President Jacob Zuma in which they ask him to help in resolving the "outstanding issues" in the implementation of the September 15 Global Political Agreement.

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Friday 29 May 2009

TO: The SADC Chairman - HE President Jacob Zuma
Cc: SADC Executive Secretary - Mr Augustos Salomao
African Union - c/o - Mr Jean Ping
The SADC Appointed Facilitator - Mr Thabo Mbeki

RE: UNRESOLVED ISSUES ON THE GLOBAL POLITICAL AGREEMENT

Your Excellence you will recall that an Extra-Ordinary Summit of the SADC Heads of State and Government met in Tshwane from the 26th to the 29th of January 2009.

That Summit, among other things, directed that the Parties to the Zimbabwe Global Political Agreement, signed on the 15th of September 2008, would inaugurate the Inclusive Government through the swearing-in of the Prime Minister and his Deputies and Ministers on the 11th and 13th of February 2009 respectively. The summit also directed that issues connected to the appointment of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Governor and the Attorney General be dealt with by the Inclusive Government after its formation.

In addition, the summit also directed that the Parties would negotiate on the formula for the appointment of Provincial Governors in a bid to pave way for the appointment of new Provincial Governors consistent with the composition of the Inclusive Government.

We regret to advise that despite innumerable meetings between the three Principals, the above issues remain unresolved. It would appear that on the part of Zanu PF the issue of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Governor and the Attorney General are no issues at all and thus not open for discussion.

With regard to the issues of Provincial Governors, although the Negotiators agreed on a formula, there is little progress in the implementation of the same and more importantly in ensuring that new Provincial Governors are appointed in terms of the agreed formula.

The failure to address the above issues is clearly affecting the credibility of the Inclusive Government. It is also causing great misapprehension in our respective political parties.

In terms of Article 22.6 of the GPA, the same shall be guaranteed and underwritten by SADC, the African Union and the Sadc-appointed Facilitator.

We thus write to you, in terms of the above provision, kindly requesting you to intercede in this matter to ensure that the above three matters are solved as a matter of urgency.

Your Excellency, kindly accept the assurances of our highest consideration and fraternal esteem.

Thank you,

Yours faithfully,

MORGAN R. TSVANGIRAI
MDC PRESIDENT


PROF. A.G.O MUTAMBARA
MDC PRESIDENT