Maravi

(TALKZIMBABWE) No more concessions to MDC: Zanu PF politburo

No more concessions to MDC: Zanu PF politburo
TH/TZG reporters
Wed, 27 Jan 2010 23:11:00 +0000

PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe and his party's supreme decision-making body, the Politburo yesterday resolved never to give in to any more MDC-T demands until all sanctions they campaigned for are lifted by Britain, the US and their allies in the West.

The Politburo's resolution comes in the wake of revelations by Britain's Foreign Secretary David Miliband that the MDC-T party controls some of the sanctions and that Britain will take the cue from the MDC-T on when to lift sanctions agains Zimbabwe.

"Zanu PF will not make any more concessions in ongoing talks with the two MDC formations on issues outstanding in the full implementation of the Global Political Agreement until the illegal economic sanctions have been lifted," said a communique released to the Zimbabwe Guardian on Wednesday.

Any movement from Zanu PF would have to be predicated on an end to the illegal and ruinous embargo.

New members of the Politburo will also be announced after the next meeting of the organ in two weeks' time after briefing the Central Committe, the highest decision-making body after Congress.

Addressing journalists after the 230th Ordinary Session of the Politburo at the party’s headquarters in Harare yesterday, President Mugabe — who is Zanu PF’s First Secretary — said the Presidium will announce new members of that organ after briefing the Central Committee.

"You won’t see the Politburo now but in two weeks’ time after we have briefed the Central Committee as directed by the National People’s Conference in December last year.

"Congress allowed us to announce the Politburo after briefing the Central Committee first.

"There will obviously be old elements to be carried forward and new guys will be coming in," he said.

The Presidium deferred announcing a new Politburo during the Fifth National People’s Congress in December last year with President Mugabe indicating that consultations were still ongoing.

The Politburo is dissolved at the national congress every five years.

Zanu PF deputy secretary for information and publicity Ephraim Masawi said the removal of sanctions had become imperative.

He said recent revelations by British foreign and Commonwealth secretary David Miliband that London would remove sanctions at MDC’s request exposed MDC-T’s "treacherous role" in the initiation and drafting of the illegal sanctions against Zimbabweans saying the party was "a tool" of Western imperialism.

"The hypocrisy of the MDC-T’s denial of its role in the evil saga of the imposition of illegal sanctions now stands exposed for all to see.

"The people of Zimbabwe, as the victims of the MDC-T and Western murderous collusion, now demand that Mr Tsvangirai and his Western allies remove their evil sanctions so that children can go to school, the sick can be attended to in hospitals, people can find jobs and farmers produce.

"These are the effects of the sanctions and not the ‘restrictive measures’ as Mr Tsvangirai euphemistically calls them.

"The Politburo therefore instructs its negotiators on the GPA to desist from making concessions in the negotiations until the sanctions are removed and the pirate radio stations cease to pollute airwaves," he said.

Zanu PF GPA negotiators Patrick Chinamasa and Nicholas Goche were instructed to negotiate with the decisions of the Politburo in mind.

MDC-T Secretary General Tendai Biti and Elton Mangoma represent MDC-T while Professor Welshman Ncube and Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga represent the smaller formation of the MDC.

Masawi said the Politburo reaffirmed the legitimacy of Reserve Bank Governor Dr Gideon Gono, Attorney-General Mr Johannes Tomana, and the 10 provincial governors’ appointments as they were constitutionally made.

"The Politburo raised concern that the MDC-T negotiators were raising more issues than the previously agreed seven, most of which were of an administrative nature," he said.

MDC-T now has about 27 "outstanding issues" to the GPA.

Among their demands is extra security for Prime Minister Tsvangirai, including a motorcade with police escorts.

MDC-T also wants the Joint Operations Command absorbed into the National Security Council, the appointment of their own nominee as ambassador to South Africa and the removal of Media, Information and Publicity Permanent Secretary George Charamba.

Sources said MDC-T would like to place people like Andrew Chadwick in the Information Ministry. He is currently a Principal Director in the PM's office responsible for communication.

Insiders told The Herald newspaper that most of MDC-T’s demands were "administrative issues that could be discussed between President Mugabe, Mr Tsvangirai and (Deputy Prime Minister) Arthur Mutambara and had nothing to do with the GPA".

"These issues should not stop the wheels of governance in Zimbabwe, the NSC is a legislative body whose decisions are implemented by JOC.

"Some issues, like the appointment of ambassadors, can be discussed by the principals.

"They are administrative issues that can be dealt with outside the GPA," a source said.

The Politburo yesterday condemned "in no uncertain terms the morbid interest to interfere in Zimbabwe’s internal affairs by external forces through the recruitment of their agents in the Government".

"For instance, last year’s partial disengagement from Government by the MDC-T purportedly triggered by the trial of Roy Bennett had factors more subterranean as it became quite clear that the influence was from outside forces who wanted to see their interests fulfilled," Masawi said.

The Politburo meeting discussed the constitution-making process and the December congress.

"The meeting resolved that the outreach programmes be intensified in order to ensure that the ideals and principles of the revolution are enshrined within the (new) constitution."

Yesterday’s meeting saw recently elected party Vice President John Nkomo and national chairman Simon Khaya Moyo take their positions at the high table.

Labels: DAVID MILIBRAND, MDC, MUGABE, SANCTIONS, ZDERA

posted by MrK @ 4:47 AM