Maravi

(HERALD) Fulfil your GPA part, MDC told

Fulfil your GPA part, MDC told
Herald Reporter

THE Zanu-PF Politburo has hit out at the MDC formations for not fulfilling their obligations under the Global Political Agreement and has urged President Mugabe to resist attempts by anyone to prejudice the party by abusing the accord.

The Politburo, Zanu-PF’s supreme decision-making body outside of congress, said the MDC formations had not done anything to have the illegal Western sanctions they called for lifted and to stop the beaming of hate messages by pirate radio stations.

President Mugabe, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai of MDC-T and Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara of the MDC signed the inter-party agreement after protracted negotiations leading to the formation of the inclusive Government.

In the agreement, the parties agreed to call for the removal of economic and all forms of sanctions that have caused untold suffering to the ordinary people of Zimbabwe.

The sanctions, which the West claimed were "targeted", have been blamed for the collapse of social services, manifest in the closure of schools and hospitals, and dilapidation of other infrastructure over the last decade.

Briefing journalists in Harare yesterday on the outcome of Thursday’s 224th Ordinary Session of the Politburo at the party’s headquarters, Zanu-PF deputy spokesperson Cde Ephraim Masawi said while the two MDCs had fulfilled key elements of the GPA, nothing had been done to address the central questions of the removal of sanctions against Zimbabwe and ending the activities of pirate radio stations.

"It is now six months since the formation of the inclusive Government and Zanu-PF leaders as well as their families are still inhibited to visit Europe, United States of America, as indeed in respect of their children to go to school in these countries.

"This does not apply to any member of the MDC-T and MDC-M who are free to roam the world while the country as well as those regarded as sympathetic to Zanu-PF, continue to be subjected to a regime of brutal illegal sanctions.

"The vilification of Zanu-PF and its leaders by special targeted broadcast continues on a daily basis, unabated," he said.

Cde Masawi said the MDC, which urged its international supporters to impose the illegal sanctions, had the sole responsibility to ensure that its international supporters remove the illegal embargo.

"The implementation of the GPA cannot be a one-sided affair. Therefore, Zanu-PF Politburo calls on the First Secretary and President of Zanu-PF to resist any pressure intended to prejudice the party in a manner that is contrary to the GPA and the Constitution of Zimbabwe.

"Accordingly, the Politburo requests the First Secretary and President of Zanu-PF to ensure that the above decisions are brought to the attention of the principals of the two MDC formations."

Cde Masawi said the Politburo had noted that Zanu-PF has been compliant to the letter in fulfilling the requirements of the GPA including the appointment of the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Ministers, ministers and their deputies, permanent secretaries and principal directors by consultation.

He said the inclusive Government had also appointed ambassadors and created a National Security Council in line with the September 2008 GPA.

"In appointing the Governor of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe and the Attorney-General, the President exercised his constitutional right to do so and no consultation in terms of the Constitution was necessary.

"With regard to the appointment of provincial governors, it is the exclusive constitutional prerogative of the President to appoint 10 governors and resident ministers to represent him in the provinces. Governors cannot legally operate in any other capacity," he said.

According to the terms of the GPA, President Mugabe remains Head of State and Government and Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces.

While some MDC-T ministers have openly spoken against the sanctions, Prime Minister Tsvangirai, in his maiden speech in the House of Assembly, referred to "restrictive measures" rather than sanctions.

PM Tsvangirai’s MDC formation has been agitating for the removal of RBZ Governor Dr Gideon Gono and AG Mr Johannes Tomana arguing that President Mugabe had unilaterally appointed them.

They have also called for Sadc to convene a meeting to deal with this "outstanding" issue — calls that the regional grouping’s chairman and South African President Cde Jacob Zuma has dismissed.

The MDC formation led by Deputy PM Arthur Mutambara has been more vocal than its counterparts in calling for the removal of sanctions and identifying them as a key stumbling block in Zimbabwe’s economic recovery efforts.

Zimbabwe will not be on the agenda of the Sadc Summit to be held in the Democratic Republic of Congo next month.

Labels: MDC, SANCTIONS, ZDERA

posted by MrK @ 3:25 PM