Maravi

Zim’s MDC supporters to decide on inclusive govt

Zim’s MDC supporters to decide on inclusive govt
Written by Kingsley Kaswende in Harare, Zimbabwe
Thursday, September 17, 2009 12:20:05 AM

PRIME Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s MDC party has said it will let the supporters decide whether or not it should continue to be in the inclusive government with ZANU-PF.

Exactly one year into the signing of the Global Political Agreement (GPA) and seven months since the establishment of the inclusive government, the partners to the government appear even more divided on implementing the agreement.

Both ZANU-PF and the MDC main faction have been trading accusations about each other's willingness to fully implement the GPA.

MDC spokesperson Nelson Chamisa said in an interview yesterday that the party would decide whether to disengage from, or stick to, the unity government after the consultative process. He neither specified the period of consultation nor the methodology to be used in the process.

"We are in the process of consulting our structures and stakeholders on whether it's feasible to be in this marriage [inclusive government]. Whatever we come up with, we will then have to communicate to the people," he said.

"We are seriously consulting and this process is what will inform our next course of action. If people feel that it is not working and they want us to disengage, that's what we are going to do. If they want us to stay with ZANU-PF and continue to rely on SADC, we will do that."

He said the party had made that decision at its national executive committee meeting last weekend in Bulawayo, at which it resolved to "consult and engage its structures and the people of Zimbabwe within a specified period to ascertain the sustainability and worthiness of the inclusive government as a vehicle for real change and democracy in Zimbabwe."

In its communique following the meeting, the MDC stated that it was disturbed by the "continued unfinished and unresolved toxic and disempowering issues" associated with the inclusive government and that it was conscious of the obligation to consult its people on the sustainability and the worthiness of cohabitation with ZANU-PF.

Chamisa, who is information and communication technology minister in the inclusive government, said the MDC had been "very unhappy and disenchanted" at what he termed as ZANU-PF's backtracking on fully implementing the GPA.

The MDC wants ZANU-PF to fully consummate the GPA by revoking the appointments of central bank governor Dr Gideon Gono and Attorney General Johannes Tomana, appointing provincial governors from both parties, appointing MDC treasurer Roy Bennett into government as agriculture deputy minister, and ending political violence and persecution.

The party also demands full media reforms along with an end of "incessant hate language" used by the ZANU-PF in state media, and constitutional reforms that are in line with the timeline specified in the GPA.

However, ZANU-PF also accuses the MDC of not meeting its part of the bargain, thereby causing the inclusive government to move at a slow pace.

ZANU-PF deputy secretary for information and publicity Ephraim Masawi said the MDC had failed to call for the removal of sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe by the West at its instigation.

ZANU-PF also demands the closure of "pirate" radio stations under the MDC wings that are stationed out of Zimbabwe but broadcast into the country.

According to ZANU-PF, the sanctions are the biggest threat to the inclusive government.

"We have done everything required of us by the GPA. Our principal and First Secretary, President Mugabe, appointed the Prime Minister and two Deputy Prime Ministers. He has also appointed ministers, principal directors and some ambassadors from all parties in line with the GPA," Masawi said. "We have not seen anything concerning the removal of illegal sanctions by (MDC). That was the main thing we expected from them. From our side they haven't done anything required of them in the GPA. As long as [the sanctions] are not lifted it is very difficult to see the progress of the inclusive government. The economy cannot be turned around when illegal sanctions are in place."

Generally, the seven-month-old inclusive government has provided more hope than despair, as it has improved the economic climate, helped return goods to shop shelves and the reopening of hospitals and schools.

Zimbabwe has also re-opened its engagement with the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) as well as the European Union in an attempt to end the 10-year isolation, as a result of the inclusive government.

SADC is yet to release a report on its own assessment of the inclusive government.

The report was submitted at the recent heads of state summit in Congo DR, the regional leaders tasking the SADC Troika headed by Mozambique to do a formal review.

Labels: GLOBAL POLITICAL AGREEMENT, MDC, NATIONAL UNITY GOVERNMENT

posted by MrK @ 11:23 PM