Some ministers under-performing: PM

Some ministers under-performing: PM
by Staff Reporter
05/06/2010 00:00:00

PRIME Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has conceded that some ministers were not “performing” dismissed speculation that a reshuffle of the coalition cabinet was in the offing.

There has been widespread speculation that the coalition principals – concerned about the performance of some ministers - were planning to reshuffle the cabinet and possibly bring in new faces.

However Tsvangirai ruled out a reshuffle of the cabinet but conceded that some ministers were not performing. The premier also moved to clarify his party’s position on the next elections insisting that the ballot would not be held unless a new constitution was in place.

President Robert Mugabe indicated in an interview coinciding with his birthday in February that elections to choose a substantive government would be held whether or not there was a new constitution.

The constitutional reform process – part of the package of reform measures agreed under the Global Political Agreement (GPA) is being held back by unending squabbles between the political parties and inadequate funding.

President Mugabe said with donor support not matching expectations the country did not have the resources to ensure a new constitution was in place before elections must be held next year.

However in article carried by a newsletter published by his office Tsvangirai said holding elections before the constitutional reforms are concluded was akin to putting “the cart before the horse”.

“Elections will be held after the constitutional reform process. You cannot talk about a date for the elections when the constitutional reform process has not been carried out. You will be putting the cart before the horse,” said Tsvangirai.

His position mirrors recent remarks by Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara who said the government needed to ensure the country’s economy was firmly on a path to recovery as well as finalise all political reforms agreed under the GPA before elections could be held.

"The question should not be about how soon elections should be held, it should be how to organise quality elections. There will be no elections until such time that we are ready. (But) It will not go beyond 2013. We want to make sure that everything is set before elections are held," Mutambara said.