Stalling may no longer be an option for Tsvangirai
By Khathu Mamaila
Posted to the web: 25/01/2009 22:12:11
SADC leaders will on Monday hold a pecial summit in another bid to force Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe and his arch-rival Morgan Tsvangirai to accept a power-sharing deal geared towards resolving the country’s political and economic crisis.
Like those of last week, and countless times in the past, these high-profile talks will achieve nothing. They only serve to raise the hopes of millions of Zimbabweans who are trapped in poverty and some who have been forced into exile.
After these talks, there will be a media statement that is likely to say the parties are committed to finding a lasting solution but they are still working out some aspects of the deal.
Then Mugabe will go back to his country, almost totally oblivious to the suffering of his people. Tsvangirai will return to his house in a leafy suburb in northern Johannesburg where he lives like a king.
Those who identify with the struggles of the Zimbabwean people will launch a scathing attack on Mugabe. They will blame him for everything that is wrong in that country, including the spread of cholera. If you didn’t know better, you might even believe that he goes around injecting people with cholera.
The radicals among them will revive their call for Mugabe to be arrested and to be taken to an international court to face charges of crimes against humanity.
In this circus the media has failed to expose the intransigence of Tsvangirai in the negotiations. In our collective obsession to paint Mugabe as the devil incarnate, we failed to ask the basic questions about the role that the MDC leader is playing to frustrate the talks.
Why is it so important for the MDC leaders to insist on getting the cabinet posts they want? Why does Tsvangirai not live in Zimbabwe any more? His people are crying for leadership but he lives in South Africa.
Why don’t we ask questions about reports of military recruits being trained in Botswana?
We have been conditioned to think that anybody who dares ask these questions is a Mugabe apologist. And of course, how can you defend the devil?
Those close to the talks are convinced that Tsvangirai’s brief from his handlers in the West is that he should not accept any power-sharing deal that includes Mugabe. But the MDC leader is clever enough to know that he cannot openly table such a demand. So, he opts for shifting the goalposts. Each time the facilitators meet to try to force Zanu PF to accede to the MDC’s demands, Tsvangirai brings a new set of demands.
The strategy is simple: Stall. Frustrate the talks as much as you can. The economy will continue to collapse because of sanctions, poor production in agriculture and the drying up of foreign currency. Then Zimbabwe will implode and Mugabe will be forced out of power.
Tsvangirai should be warned that if he does not act with urgency to arrest the total collapse of his country, he will inherit a shell.
As it is now, millions of skilled Zimbabweans have left the country and are working abroad. Because the schooling system has almost collapsed, these professionals are taking their children to South Africa, Botswana, Britain and other countries. They will settle there, with no guarantee they will return anytime soon.
How does Tsvangirai hope to rebuild the country without these professionals? But of course, I may be naive to assume that he actually cares about his country-men and women.
After Monday’s summit, which in all likelihood will fail to resolve the impasse, the usual suspects will stick to the script. They will condemn Mugabe and ask President Kgalema Motlanthe to be tougher on Zimbabwe.
Nothing will change. Zimbabweans will continue to suffer. They have no visionary leaders. What a tragedy.
Labels: MORGAN TSVANGIRAI, NATIONAL UNITY GOVERNMENT, NEGOTIATIONS
Read more...
Fresh demands by MDC caused Zim talks collapse
Written by Kingsley Kaswende and George Chellah in Harare, Zimbabwe
Tuesday, January 20, 2009 7:07:28 PM
FRESH demands tabled by MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai on Monday caused a potentially irretrievable damage to the hopes for an inclusive government in Zimbabwe. The new MDC demands, which conflict those agreed upon by SADC leaders last November on how the Zimbabwean leaders must proceed to form an inclusive government were met by a stern rejection by ZANU-PF, throwing the parties worlds apart as far as constituting an inclusive government is converned.
It was the sixth meeting held over forming an inclusive government since September 15 when the leaders agreed to form a unity government, but it still failed to yield positive results.
Zimbabweans and the region had hoped Monday's talks would find a solution to the political wrangling and allow Zimbabwe's leaders to focus on ending an economic crisis that has half the country's people in need of food aid.
At a press briefing following the 13-hour marathon meeting, SADC executive secretary Tomaz Salomao said the meeting had “unfortunately failed to yield anything positive.”
Dr Salomao said the talks were inconclusive and Presidents Motlanthe and Guebuza and facilitator Thabo Mbeki had recommended that a summit be held next Monday either in Johannesburg or in Gaborone. Speaking to journalists in the early hours of yesterday, President Mugabe confirmed the breakdown of the talks.
"It didn’t go well. We had a proposal from SADC that would have brought us to a situation where the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Ministers and Ministers would have been sworn-in. We agreed to it, as did Mutambara’s MDC but MDC-T (Tsvangirai) did not agree. They instead came up with their own counter-proposal that naturally was in conflict with the position of SADC which would have seen us move forward and that is where the talks broke down. We will continue to discuss here at home. There will be a meeting of SADC in a few days time where a report will be made to SADC. We are for the SADC proposal and abide by it to the full," President Mugabe said.
However, Tsvangirai accused President Mugabe of being "a stumbling block" and said the president's party had "disappointed" Zimbabweans who were hoping for an end to the "roller-coaster" of problems they face.
“The same issues that have always caused a stalemate are the ones that are still sticking the talks. The chairman has organised another meeting next week...We came to this meeting so that we would be able to resolve the outstanding issues and conclude the power-sharing agreement. Unfortunately, there has been no progress made," he said. "This has been one of the darkest days of our lives."
Prior to the meeting, President Mugabe had warned he would not give any more concessions that he had already given.
Last November, SADC leaders meeting in Johannesburg had recommended that ZANU-PF and MDC co-share the Ministry of Home Affairs, which was the main stumbling block to the implementation of the agreement. The proposal of co-managing the ministry had earlier been proposed by the MDC.
Dr Salomao, at the time, said SADC’s position was final and would not be changed.
“Whether the political parties agreed or not, that’s the position of SADC. The parties came to SADC and now SADC has made a ruling,” he said after the November meeting.
“The parties themselves presented proposals… of co-sharing, rotation and here they differed on who starts the rotation and also towards the end the position in case of MDC was that, for them the bottom line should be the ministries of finance and home affairs. Some progress was made and the parties agreed that the portfolio (minister of finance) be presented by MDC and so the outstanding issue now was home affairs. In practical terms you have two ministers of home affairs appointed by ZANU-PF and the other by MDC. The view of the summit was we are dealing with an above normal circumstance and we cannot afford to postpone the formation of an all inclusive government because there is a dispute on who appoints the minister of home affairs.”
However, the MDC rejected the proposal and on Monday presented a fresh set of demands, which were rejected by ZANU-PF.
Among the MDC’s fresh proposals as contained in a confidential document accessed by The Post, the opposition party demanded that the envisaged National Security Council should be appointed by an Act of Parliament and not appointed by the president.
“The question of the composition, function and constitution of the National Security Council is a critical issue in view of the dangerous and partisan role that has been displayed by the security services in Zimbabwe,” the document reads.
“In this regard, our position is that an Act must be enacted by Parliament which will regulate and oversee all State security and intelligence agencies. This Act must seek to balance the need for accountability and transparency with the competing principles of national security and sovereignty.”
The MDC also demanded to take control of the ministries of Home Affairs; Finance; media, information and Publicity; Local Government, Rural and Urban Development; and agriculture while demanding that ZANU-PF should get Defence; National Security; Foreign affairs; Justice and Legal affairs; and Lands and Resettlement.
“The issue of the equitable allocation of ministerial portfolios has unnecessarily delayed the consummation of the global political agreement to the detriment of resolving the other outstanding issues. Therefore, unless the above allocation is accepted we see no point in any further discussions on this matter,” the party’s document reads.
The opposition party also demanded that the ruling party must consult the opposition party before appoint provincial governors, an issue which ZANU-PF says will be dealt with after the inclusive government is formed.
The MDC also demanded that President Mugabe should reverse the appointment of Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor Dr Gideon Gono and that of the Attorney General Johannes Tomana.
“The reappointment of Reserve Bank Governor, Gideon Gono on 26th November 2008 contravenes both the Reserve Bank Act and the GPA. A Central Bank Governor should play an essential role in the economic stabilisation of Zimbabwe and therefore, in terms of the GPA no one person should make such an appointment. It is our firm position that this appointment be reversed and that the
Prime Minister designate and President designate agree on his replacement prior to the consummation of this agreement,” MDC stated.
“Similarly, the Attorney General was appointed unilaterally by Mr Mugabe on 17th December 2008.”
In an interview at the end of Monday’s meeting, one of Zanu-PF’s negotiators to the talks, Patrick Chinamasa, said Tsvangirai’s latest U-turn had surprised everyone.
"We as ZANU-PF told (then) SADC chair, Comrade Mbeki and Comrade Guebuza — who is the acting chair of the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security — that we had no problem with the proposal put before us. In essence, the proposal was that the three parties issue a statement declaring that we would all support Constitutional Amendment Number 19 Bill when Parliament resumes sitting on 20 January, 2009 (yesterday),” he said.
Chinamasa said that would have been followed by the swearing-in of Tsvangirai as Prime Minister and the two Deputies by January 24, 2009, after which Cabinet ministers would be appointed.
"MDC-T would make an undertaking to submit a Draft Bill for the National Security Council by January 24 because this is essentially something that they have demanded today. On the issue of governors, the parties would agree that these would be shared as and when vacancies arose according to a formula that the parties would agree on and that the allocation of ministries would be reviewed after six months. We agreed with all of this in the spirit of the agreement that we all signed and Professor Mutambara also assented to this proposal,” Chinamasa said.
"However, Tsvangirai suddenly, and to everyone’s consternation, said he needed a bit of time to consult after initially saying he too would go with it if the other parties agreed.”
Labels: MDC, NATIONAL UNITY GOVERNMENT, NEGOTIATIONS, PATRICK CHINAMASA, SADC, TOMAZ SALOMAO, ZANU-PF
Read more...
Motlanthe advises Tsvangirai against pulling out of talks
Written by George Chellah and Kingsley Kaswende in Harare
Tuesday, January 20, 2009 7:00:46 PM
SOUTH African President Kgalema Motlanthe has advised MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai against pulling out of the power-sharing deal. And
Motlanthe instructed Tsvangirai to return home saying that as SADC chairman, he was only willing to meet him on Zimbabwean soil and nowhere else.SADC sources on Saturday revealed to The Post that President Motlanthe gave his condition to Tsvangirai during their recent meeting in South Africa.
"When he met Mr Tsvangirai in South Africa he advised him that the meeting he was calling for with President Mugabe can only take place on Zimbabwean soil and not anywhere else," the source said. "He went further and told him openly that he [President Motlanthe] will not meet him anywhere else other than on the Zimbabweans soil. Therefore, he must return home.
"President Motlanthe also advised Mr Tsvangirai against pulling out of the deal. He advised him that 'when you are facing problems within your team, you don't suspend or leave the match you substitute the players. So go back home."
The source also said yesterday's meeting among the Zimbabwean leaders with President Motlanthe would be decisive.
"President Mugabe and President Motlanthe have been communicating recently over the stalled power-sharing deal. And basically there was an agreement to give Mr Tsvangirai a last chance... by meeting him and hearing what his concerns are. Monday will actually be very decisive. If nothing positive comes out of the Monday meeting then President Mugabe will proceed to form government," the source said.
"Whether ZANU-PF will go it alone or with whoever is willing to join in from the two MDC formations, a new government will be established. And then if Mr Tsvangirai and the MDC want to join in at a later stage, they will do so when the new government is already in place.
"In fact, our contacts from the Zimbabwean government are indicating that President Mugabe seems resolute to establish a new government with or without Mr Tsvangirai. We are told he has already collected the names and CVs of all ruling ZANU-PF Parliamentarians both in the Senate and House of Assembly in readiness for the establishment of the government."
Tsvangirai returned home on Saturday afternoon after a three-month long self imposed exile, most of which he spent in Botswana.
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) reconvened another meeting with the Zimbabwean rivals to try and end a four month-long stalemate on forming an inclusive government.
President Motlanthe will be joined by SADC mediator Thabo Mbeki and his Mozambican counterpart Armando Emilio Guebuza.
Tsvangirai told reporters in Harare that he was glad to be back home and hoped the meeting would find a lasting solution to the crisis.
The MDC leader, who is expected to be appointed prime minister in a unity government, said he remained committed to forming a new inclusive government but lacked a 'willing partner'.
He has declared that he would not be part of the unity government until all his demands are met.
Tsvangirai demands the unconditional release of political detainees and reversal of recent government appointments unilaterally made by Robert Mugabe, among other conditions.
ZANU PF and the two MDC's negotiators are also expected to meet yesterday to discuss 'outstanding' issues.
Parliament is expected to resume sitting today and a key matter on the agenda is the draft legislation that would enable the formation of the new government.
Meanwhile the MDC's National Executive is scheduled to meet on Sunday to discuss the power sharing deal with Mugabe.
Labels: KGALEMA MOTLANTHE, MORGAN TSVANGIRAI, NEGOTIATIONS, SADC
Read more...
Parties agree on Bill
Herald Reporters
ZIMBABWE’S three main political parties, Zanu-PF and the two MDC formations, have reached agreement on the text of Constitutional Amendment Number 19 Bill and are expected to initiate soon the relevant parliamentary procedures for it to become law.
While officials from Zanu-PF and the Professor Arthur Mutambara-led MDC formation could not be reached for comment yesterday, MDC-T spokesperson Mr Nelson Chamisa confirmed that an agreement had been reached.
The Minister of Information and Publicity, Cde Sikhanyiso Ndlovu, last night said he was still to get confirmation of the outcome of the latest round of talks which ended on Thursday night.
However, he said reports of an agreement were welcome.
"That’s a welcome procedure, the people of Zimbabwe have long awaited this process to take place and come to conclusion.
"We now look forward to gazetting it," said Cde Ndlovu.
In a statement, Mr Chamisa said: "Dialogue resumed on Monday November 24 in South Africa and the negotiating teams from the three major political parties have since reached an agreement on the issue of the Constitutional Amendment Number 19."
The development comes on the back of attempts by MDC-T to have Cde Thabo Mbeki step down as the facilitator of the inter-party dialogue after he criticised opposition leader Mr Morgan Tsvangirai for insulting Sadc leaders while pandering to the whims of the European Union and the United States.
Cde Mbeki wrote to MDC-T before the latest round of talks.
It could not be established how the opposition ended up accepting Cde Mbeki’s continued mediation, but MDC-T could have succumbed to
pressure from various quarters.
Several countries and organisations have over the past week been urging Mr Tsvangirai’s party to put national interests above their sectarian preferences for the sake of progress.
Yesterday’s developments mean the Bill would soon be presented in Parliament.
Efforts to get a comment from Zanu-PF’s negotiators to the talks were fruitless as they were understood to be still in South Africa last night.
A constitutional amendment requires a two-thirds majority for it to be forwarded to President Mugabe as Head of State, who is expected to sign the Bill into law. With all three parliamentary parties backing the Bill, it should get unanimity.
Mr Chamisa said there was still disagreement over the issues of provincial governors, permanent secretaries and ambassadors as well as the National Security Council in the negotiations for forming the inclusive government.
It is understood Zanu-PF’s position was that the latest round of talks should have focussed on Constitutional Amendment Number 19.
Sadc has since resolved that the Zimbabwean parties should form the inclusive government and moved forward.
But the MDC-T keeps bringing up new demands, a position Government says is designed to scuttle the Sadc mediation and have the matter taken over by the United Nations.
Apart from paving the way for the creation of the offices of the Prime Minister and his two deputies, the Bill will also deal with other outstanding constitutional matters such as the Zimbabwe Media Commission, the Chapter on Citizenship, the Anti-Corruption Commission, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission the Parliamentary Committee on Standing Rules and Orders.
Labels: NATIONAL UNITY GOVERNMENT, NEGOTIATIONS
Read more...
MDC: The bearer of the news
Petros Mashingaidze – Opinion
Sat, 29 Nov 2008 06:12:00 +0000
DEAR EDITOR – Yesterday’s events in South Africa were very interesting. The party that was adamant would not sign anything until former President Thabo Mbeki of South Africa was dropped as Facilitator in the power-sharing talks was the bearer of the news that a deal had been reached over Constitutional Amendment No 19 Bill.
The spokesman for the opposition Movement for Democratic Change party led by Morgan Tsvangirai was the one who announced this news. Zanu PF and the other formation of the MDC led by Prof Arthur Mutambara were not available for comment.
Chamisa said "We have reached an understanding, an agreement on the draft constitutional bill, pending consultations and endorsement by our different leadership organs.”
Western newspapers went into a frenzy, reporting what they never wanted to report for many weeks.
I hope that now Zimbabweans will look further into reconstructing their country rather than follow these sickeningly partisan lines of thought.
We have suffered enough and now hope that the MDC-T will be mature enough to see through these commitments they are making and not change positions at the crucial stage.
Petros Mashingaidze writes from Auckland, New Zealand
Labels: MDC, NEGOTIATIONS
Read more...
MDC supporters and the media baffled
Philip Murombedzi
Sat, 29 Nov 2008 06:14:00 +0000
MANY people are baffled by the latest somersault made by the MDC-T party in signing the Constitutional Amendment No 19 Bill. But how could they be baffled? The MDC-T baffles those that want to be baffled. Endless times those whose protest vote they learnt to the MDC have quibbled the decision of this virgin group of politicians – the green group, I call them.
“It’s a nullity, it’s a nullity,” cried one UZ-trained lawyer, Tendai Biti, against the wise advice of his former constitutional law professor, Welshman. Never defy your elders, unless they are not your elders and unless they represent someone else.
Our elders have been discredited by those whose interests they do not represent; so how could we accept other people’s elders?
“Morgan Richard Tsvangirai is the next President of the Republic of Zimbabwe,” belted a lawyer – an abrupt lawyer whose only trip overseas was to oversee and put in line a group of partisan and blindingly loyal supporters in the Diaspora who were crossing the line and defying the protocol. This is his experience.
The only other time we see him overseas is when he is invited to blurt in front of a more informed group of funders. He informs them that their “investment” is still worth the while. “We can still bet on that horse,” and the horse obliges.
Monday morning: “It’s a nullity. We will not enter into any further negotiations until the facilitator is changed!” We all believed them, despite the perennial history of political flip flops. “This time they really mean business,” said one MDC drunk. I was naïve. I believed him.
Friday afternoon: “If you're optimistic, the glass is half-full, if you're pessimistic, it is half-empty," belted the inexperienced Chamisa announcing, half-heartedly that they had appended their signature to a document they said was full of faults. Are you pessimistic or optimistic Chamisa? When did it ever become our choice? It’s your choice, the MDC’s choice to decide whether that glass is half full or half empty. Tell us: Is it half-empty, or half-full? Save your skin! What did the Funder say this time? Did he or she say “It’s the end of the road?” If not, how do you explain your turnaround? Then again, the history of flip-flops is characteristic of your party’s leadership.
We have signed Amendment Number 19 Bill, the one presented by Zanu PF “pending consultations and endorsement by our different leadership organs,” says Chamisa. How could you sign anything pending consultations and endorsements? You either sign or you don’t and many people I know consult first and then sign. Your party always does things in reverse, doesn’t it?
“Zimbabwe parties agree on power-sharing bill: MDC” writes the Washington Post, hesitatingly! “On-off talks between President Robert Mugabe's ZANU-PF and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai's MDC have made little progress since they reached a deal in September seen as the best hope of pulling Zimbabwe back from economic collapse,” writes the paper further. So Mugabe is the President? Yes indeed, he always was. He has been, since the June 27 runoff presidential election.
“Chamisa said the talks had ended,” reluctantly reported the Washington Post.
"On our part, the MDC leadership will meet next week to discuss this, and give a direction as to how we are going to proceed." Proceed on what? You have already proceeded!
“ZANU-PF officials were not immediately available for comment.” What an amusing statement from the Washington Post. Available for comment? So that they can put their own spin to the comments and twist words from Zanu PF or MDC Mutambara – their usual way of reporting on Zimbabwe? They have become media savvy now and will not communicate with hostile media anymore.
We now impatiently await the next turnaround from the MDC-T party, in characteristic fashion.
philipmurombedzi *** yahoo.com
Labels: MDC, NEGOTIATIONS
Read more...
Full text: Mbeki's letter to Morgan Tsvangirai
Our Reporter
Fri, 28 Nov 2008 08:39:00 +0000
THE Movement for Democratic Change says it has officially withdrawn from negotiations with Zanu-PF until former President Thabo Mbeki is replaced as the official Zimbabwe facilitator of the Southern African Development Community.
MDC announced this on Wednesday in response to a letter which Mr. Mbeki wrote to Tsvangirai on Monday. Mbeki wrote the letter in response to a letter which MDC secretary general Tendai Biti wrote to him on November 19.
Following is the full text of these two letters.
TENDAI BITI TO MORGAN TSVANGIRAI
Mr Thabo Mbeki
Dear Sir,
Re: Constitutional Amendment No 19
Given the fact that the SADC resolution is a nullity and has not been rescinded, it is then difficult for any of the parties to move in any direction for fear of legitimising the SADC Summit "ruling". It means then that the negotiators cannot meet and work on the draft of Constitutional Amendment No 19.
There is a total meltdown in Zimbabwe and indeed a complete collapse of the state. Put simply, the state has lost any capacity to provide the basic amenities to the people in the form of food, education, health, transport. This situation, if left unresolved, will explode or implode and indeed such explosion or implosion will have a contagious multiplier effect in the region.
In addition to the meltdown, there are vicious attacks on the members of the MDC contrary to the dictates and spirit of the MOU and the GPA. There is a renewed wave of violence, abductions and assaults against the MDC and the people of Zimbabwe in the obvious direction of replicating the post 29 March barbaric violence, in particular the arrest and continued detention at unknown centres of MDC Mashonaland West senior leadership such as Concilia Chinanvanana and 11 others. Furthermore, the Zanu PF regime is crafting an assassination plot, code-named Operation Ngatipedzenavo (Let Us Finish Them) intended to eliminate the MDC leadership and decimate the party through frivolous allegations.
There are flimsy attempts to frame the MDC as a terrorist organisation that is training people for the purposes of banditry and insurgence. There are people that are being used to frame confessions and militias are being trained by Zanu PF to act as MDC bandits in an attempt to delegitimise the MDC.
We look forward to hearing from you on the way forward.
Tendai Biti, MP
MDC Secretary General
THABO MBEKI TO MORGAN TSVANGIRAI
(Mbeki's response was addressed to "Mr Morgan Tsvangirai")
Dear Morgan
Today I received the letter dated 19 November 2008, which was correctly communicated through the South African Embassy in Harare, written to me by your secretary general, the Hon Tendai Biti, MP, concerning Constitutional Amendment No 19.
I must confess that the contents of this letter came to me as a complete surprise, causing me grave concern.
As you know, Mr Biti's letter describes the decisions on Zimbabwe, taken by the November 9 SADC Extraordinary Summit Meeting held in South Africa, as "a nullity".
The letter goes further to say that "it is then difficult for any of the parties to move in any direction for fear of legitimising the SADC Summit 'ruling'".
The first point I would like to make with regard to the foregoing is that, as you know, we were appointed as facilitator of the Zimbabwe Dialogue by the SADC.
This position was later endorsed by both the African Union (AU) and the United Nations (UN), both of which expressly rely on SADC to facilitate the Zimbabwe Dialogue, and thus contribute to the resolution of the Zimbabwe problem.
You will, therefore, understand that it is absolutely impossible for us as the SADC-appointed facilitator to contemptuously to dismiss solemn decisions of an SADC Summit Meeting as "a nullity".
Indeed, and necessarily, all such decisions serve as a binding mandate on the facilitator.
The second point I would like to make is that contrary to what the Hon Tendai Biti says in his letter, the three Zimbabwe negotiating parties, including yours, and with the support of the facilitation, have agreed that they should meet with the facilitation to consider the Draft Constitutional Amendment No 19.
The facilitation had proposed that this meeting should take place in South Africa on November 19 and 20, with the intention to finalise this draft during this interaction.
Both Zanu PF and the MDC (M) agreed to this proposal. However the meeting did not take place, essentially because of the reportedly unavoidable unavailability of your secretary general, the Hon Tendai Biti, who is one of your negotiators.
Subsequently, your negotiators suggested that the meeting should be rescheduled to take place in South Africa on November 25.
The facilitation canvassed this proposal with the other Zimbabwe negotiating parties and secured their agreement.
Accordingly, as of now, we expect that the meeting to consider the Draft Constitutional Amendment No 19 will be held on November 25, as your negotiators proposed.
As you know, on November 17, the facilitation received from the Hon Patrick Chinamasa the First Draft of the Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment No 19 Bill, 2008.
We immediately distributed this draft to all three Zimbabwe negotiating parties, preparatory to the meeting then scheduled to be held on November 19-20.
Subsequently, the facilitation was informed that the MDC (T) had prepared its own Draft Constitutional Amendment No 19.
The facilitation welcomed this initiative by the MDC (T), which was consistent with the manner in which the SADC-mandated Zimbabwe Dialogue has been conducted during a period of over 18 months.
By agreement, this has allowed that each and any of the Zimbabwe Negotiating Parties should be absolutely free to present their views during the dialogue process, without let or hindrance, which has happened.
I would therefore like to assure you that consistent with previous practice, the facilitation is ready to facilitate consideration of all Drafts of Constitutional Amendment No 19 in an even-handed manner, guided by what is contained in the signed Global Political Agreement.
(As has been agreed, we will take all necessary steps to ensure that Amendment No 19 includes the provisions contained in the agreement signed privately on September 11, which, for whatever reason, are absent from the agreement signed in public on September 15.)
Correctly, the Zimbabwe negotiating parties had agreed, without any SADC intervention, that some of their decisions, as reflected in the Global Political Agreement, would have to be legalised through constitutional amendments.
We are completely at a loss as to what the Hon Tendai Biti means when he writes that with regard to Constitutional Amendment No 19, "it is then difficult for any of the parties to move in any direction for fear of legitimising the SADC Summit 'ruling'".
When the SADC Summit Meeting called for the approval of Constitutional Amendment No 19, it did nothing more than to endorse a logical decision which the Zimbabwe negotiating parties had already concluded.
Neither the MDC (T), nor the other two Zimbabwe negotiating parties had expressed this (Biti) view to the facilitator, as we prepared for the November 19-20 and November 25 meetings, that the SADC approval of an existing decision of the Zimbabwe negotiating parties created a new problem.
And indeed, neither Zanu PF nor the MDC (M) has, to date, expressed any such view. To the best of our knowledge, they remain ready to participate in the November 25 meeting.
In addition, you will also remember that, in your presence, at the November 9 SADC Summit Meeting, both President Mugabe and Professor Mutambara informed the meeting that they accepted the SADC decisions, and committed their organisations to their full implementation.
The deputy treasurer general of the MDC (T), and one of your negotiators, the Hon Elton Mangoma, kindly conveyed to the facilitation the resolutions adopted by the 7th MDC National Council of 2008, which met in Harare on November 14, 2008.
In this regard, the facilitation took particular note of the resolution which stated that:
"3. Given the lack of sincerity and lack of paradigm shift on the part of Zanu PF, the MDC shall participate in a new government once Constitutional Amendment No 19 has been passed and effected into law."
In this regard, the facilitation also took note of the November 14 report carried on the Kubatana Internet website, which said:
"(MDC (T) Vice President Thokozani) Khupe said: 'Given the lack of sincerity and lack of paradigm shift on the part of Zanu PF, the MDC shall participate in a new government once Constitutional Amendment No 19 has been passed and effected into law."
All this suggested to the Facilitation that the Zimbabwe Negotiating Parties should indeed proceed as speedily as possible to agree on Constitutional Amendment No 19.
The immediate foregoing is part of the reason why we find it immensely puzzling that even after the announced decisions of the 7th MDC National Council of 2008, your secretary general has now informed us that it is in fact impossible and impermissible to draft and enact Constitutional Amendment No 19 into law.
This is not the appropriate platform to discuss the intricacies of the Zimbabwe negotiations, in which you and ourselves have been involved for many years.
However, you know the circumstances which led the SADC Troika of the Organ on Politics and the SADC chairperson, and subsequently the November 9 SADC Extraordinary Summit Meeting, to focus on the matter of the Ministry of Home Affairs.
As the SADC executive secretary reported to the November 9 SADC Summit Meeting, when the SADC Troika of the Organ on Politics and the SADC chairperson met in Harare on October 27-28, they engaged the Zimbabwe negotiating parties, including yourself, in intense negotiations, deliberately without the participation of the facilitator.
The clear message communicated to the SADC Troika of the Organ on Politics and the SADC chairperson during these interactions was that the only obstacle to the formation of the Zimbabwe Inclusive Government, as agreed in the Global Political Agreement (GPA), was the finalisation of the dispute about the political leadership of the Ministry of Home Affairs, and the subsequent legalisation of the GPA through the enactment of Constitutional Amendment No 19.
You will remember your own insistence that in the context of the agreement that there should be two ministers of home affairs, these should serve in rotation, with the MDC (T) appointee taking the first slot.
You affirmed that if this were to be agreed, it would mark the conclusion of the negotiations about the distribution of the ministerial portfolios, and therefore enable the establishment of the Zimbabwe Inclusive Government, with your endorsement and support.
Because of this, basing themselves on what they learnt from the negotiations they conducted directly with the Zimbabwe negotiating parties, without the involvement of the Facilitation, the Troika of the SADC Organ on Politics and the SADC chairperson concluded that the most urgent and outstanding task relating to the formation of the Zimbabwe Inclusive Government was the resolution of matters relating to the Ministry of Home Affairs.
During the SADC meetings, the Troika of the Organ on Politics and the SADC chairperson emphasised that they recognise the fact that there are some outstanding matters that still need to be negotiated, and therefore asked that the facilitator should help ensure that this happens.
As we said earlier, for us as the facilitator, this constitutes a binding mandate which we must honour.
It is therefore factually incorrect that SADC has ignored various outstanding matters which you might have raised or which have served and serve on the agreed dialogue agenda.
In this regard, I would like to make one or two observations about the matter of "equity" with regard to the distribution of ministerial portfolios, which is mentioned in the resolutions of the 7th MDC National Council of 2008.
At your request, which was supported by the other two Zimbabwe negotiating parties, we prepared and submitted a document to you as the Zimbabwe principals, naturally including you, entitled "Reflections and Proposals of the Facilitation: Towards the Achievement of the Objectives of Equity and Power-sharing in the Constitution of the Inclusive Government: Harare, October 17 2008."
All three Zimbabwe negotiating parties responded to this document in writing. Of the three, only the MDC (T) fundamentally disagreed with the observations of the facilitator.
As you know, the facilitator's document did not constitute a "ruling", as it could not. It was a response to a suggestion you yourself had made, and should have been subjected to a discussion among the Zimbabwe principals and the facilitator.
However, as was your right, you responded to the facilitator in two documents. This happened shortly before the Troika of the SADC Organ on Politics and the SADC chairperson were to meet in Swaziland.
In the light of this decision, the facilitation thought it proper that it should submit to the Swaziland meeting copies of these five documents - the facilitator's "Reflections …" and the four responses, two from the MDC (T), - both to the SADC Troika of the Organ on Politics and the SADC chairperson, as well as the SADC Extraordinary Summit Meeting, which was done.
The facilitation has no reason to assume that these documents were not considered by the SADC structures.
We are, therefore, not aware of the basis of the statement made by the 7th MDC National Council of 2008 that SADC ignored the issue that MDC (T) had raised, relating to "equity" in the distribution of ministerial posts.
With regard to other outstanding matters, in your presence the SADC executive secretary reported that the SADC Troika of the Organ on Politics and the SADC chairperson agreed that these should not be forgotten or ignored, but should not hold up the formation of the Inclusive Government.
SADC directed that the facilitator should continue to focus on these matters, within the context that it set, which coincided with the approach of the facilitation.
It is perfectly clear to us as the facilitation that SADC is firmly of the view that the sooner the agreed Zimbabwe Inclusive Government is established, the better.
Our region considers this to be the most critical and urgent strategic task to implement, to move decisively towards the resolution of the challenges facing Zimbabwe.
As you know, the facilitation agrees with this view.
In this regard, you as the Zimbabwe principals agreed with the facilitator that senior officials of the Zimbabwe and South African governments should engage one another to address the issue of the provision of agricultural inputs that would help to ensure that during the current summer agricultural season, the people of Zimbabwe do everything possible to produce the food they need.
As you will recall, this decision was taken on the basis of an urgent request presented to the facilitator by the Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers' Union (CFU).
Together we agreed with the CFU that the intervention to produce food should not be held back because of delays in the conclusion of an agreement among the politicians about the composition of the Zimbabwe Inclusive Government.
On the basis of this mandate, the relevant Zimbabwe and South African senior officials have indeed interacted with one another.
I have the assurance of the president of South Africa, HE Mr Kgalema Motlanthe, that the Government of South Africa is ready to honour its obligations in this regard, precisely because of its abiding concern about the welfare of the sister people of Zimbabwe.
I mention this particular issue, concerning the agricultural season that is upon us, to emphasise the point that all of you, the principal Zimbabwe Leaders, have consistently communicated to me your unqualified understanding of the reality that it was of strategic and urgent importance that the Zimbabwe Inclusive Government should be established without further delay, as the SADC Extraordinary Summit concurred.
In his November 19 2008 letter, the Hon Tendai Biti, secretary general of MDC (T), raised various matters of grave concern to the MDC (T).
In particular he mentioned:
• a complete collapse of the Zimbabwe state;
• the absolute inability of the state to "provide the basic amenities to the people";
• the threat of an "explosion" or "implosion" in Zimbabwe, which would "have a contagious multiplier effect in the region";
• "a renewed wave of violence, abductions and assaults against the MDC and the people of Zimbabwe";
• the "crafting (by Zanu PF) of 'an assassination plot, code-named Operation Ngatipedzenavo (Let us Finish Them) intended to eliminate the MDC leadership and decimate the party through frivolous allegations;
• "flimsy attempts to frame the MDC as a terrorist organisation that is training people for the purposes of banditry and insurgence"; and,
• "people being used to frame confessions, and militias being trained by Zanu PF to act as MDC bandits in an attempt to delegitimise the MDC".
Again, as you know, the letter from the Hon Tendai Biti ends with the appeal to the facilitator - "We look forward to hearing from you on the way forward."
The above observations and allegations made by the Hon Tendai Biti are indeed extremely grave and demand immediate action.
The very firm and unequivocal view of the facilitation in this regard, which the Hon Biti requests, is that we must move with the greatest speed to establish the Inclusive Government, as provided for in the Global Political Agreement.
We must, as a matter of extreme urgency, establish the new Zimbabwe government, which will include the three parties represented in the democratically elected Zimbabwe parliament.
This government must operate according to the principles and procedures detailed in the Global Political Agreement, which both determines that RG Mugabe will be president, and that Morgan Tsvangirai will be prime minister, and specifies the roles of these leaders in the Inclusive Government.
The MDC (T), like the other Zimbabwe parties, must, within an Inclusive Government, take responsibility for the future of Zimbabwe, rather than see its mission as being a militant critic of President Mugabe and Zanu PF.
The signing of the Global Political Agreement has provided the possibility for the leaders of the people of Zimbabwe to govern Zimbabwe together, and together to solve the national problems, including the ones raised by the Hon Tendai Biti in his letter to me.
All that is now required is that these leaders must remain true to their word. They must implement the agreement they have signed.
In this regard, they have absolutely no need to refer to their external supporters for approval, however powerful they might seem, including any and all South African formations.
All that is required is that you, the leaders of the people of Zimbabwe, should do what you have committed yourselves to do, and that is all!
In the context of the observations made by the Hon Tendai Biti in his November 19 letter to the facilitator, Zimbabwe urgently needs precisely the agreed Inclusive Government, to:
• rebuild the state machinery of Zimbabwe;
• enable it to meet the needs of the people;
• overcome the current socio- economic crisis;
• end the threat of the explosion or implosion of Zimbabwe;
• end all manifestations of repression, intimidation and violence; and
• guarantee the democratic and human rights of all Zimbabweans, including their political and other formations.
The Hon Tendai Biti should not transfer the achievement of these tasks to the facilitator, SADC and the AU.
This responsibility belongs squarely to the people of Zimbabwe and their leaders.
The official signing of the Global Political Agreement in Harare on September 15 opened the way for you as Zimbabwe's leaders, and the formations you represent, to act together not as political opponents, but as partners in pursuit of a shared and defined objective of the reconstruction and development of Zimbabwe, the reconciliation and unification of its people, and the entrenchment of democracy.
As you have agreed, in the first instance this must be expressed in the formation of the Zimbabwe Inclusive Government, which must work together as a cohesive formation, together as one, to address the priorities identified in the Global Political Agreement, in the manner prescribed in this agreement.
You and I know that objectively, Zimbabwe desperately needs the establishment of this Inclusive Government, and that this is the most urgent demand of the masses, the people who elected the three parties, including yours, which are represented in the Parliament of Zimbabwe.
Without in any way reflecting on their merits, which would require protracted investigations, the only and most rational way to address the challenges raised by the Hon Tendai Biti is to form the Zimbabwe Inclusive Government and table the matters at issue even at the very first meeting of the cabinet of the Inclusive Government.
We suggest, humbly, that given the fact of the Global Political Agreement, the MDC (T), and indeed the MDC (M), should no longer treat themselves as opposition parties or protest movements, and neither should Zanu PF consider and relate to them as such.
The agreement that has been reached and signed provides that Zimbabwe will and must have a ruling coalition of three co-operating parties.
Acting together, within the agreed framework, these will and must constitute the new "ruling party" of Zimbabwe, which must govern Zimbabwe as this "one" entity.
Contrary to all this, the Hon Tendai Biti asks that we should support the delay in the formation of the Zimbabwe Inclusive Government and help to sustain an untenable situation according to which, despite the agreed and signed Global Political Agreement, the signatories should continue to treat one another as opposed political formations engaged in a deadly fight, one against the other.
Where conflicts and problems continue to persist among the Zimbabwe political parties and the supporters of these, surely the framework has now been established for these to engage one another to address these conflicts and problems!
I am certain that the longer we postpone using this framework, relying on the luxury of a facilitator and other informal advisers, the longer we will perpetuate the terrible misery that afflicts the people of Zimbabwe.
As facilitator, a neighbour and an African, I am immensely proud of the extraordinary work you have done to develop the comprehensive consensus that now exists among yourselves as the leaders of the people of Zimbabwe, which provides the roadmap which defines what must be done to pull Zimbabwe out of the abyss.
What the people of Zimbabwe, our region and Africa now need is the sense of patriotism among yourselves as leaders of the people of Zimbabwe and as African patriots, which will inspire you, despite and beyond personal and partisan interests, to implement the agreements you have concluded.
In this regard, it may be that together, openly, and sooner rather than later, we must give an account to the masses of the people of Zimbabwe of what has been agreed during 18 months of negotiations, and what it is that holds up the united, national advance towards the alleviation of the problems of Zimbabwe, and therefore the speedy improvement of the quality of the lives of the people.
You know this, too, that the rest of Southern Africa, your neighbouring countries, has also had the unavoidable obligation to carry much of the weight of the burden of the Zimbabwe crisis, in many ways.
You know that, among other things, various countries of our region host large numbers of economic migrants from Zimbabwe, who impose particular burdens on our countries.
Loyal to the concept and practice of African solidarity, none of our countries and governments has spoken publicly of this burden, fearful that we might incite the xenophobia to which all of us are opposed.
Nevertheless, the leaders of the people of Zimbabwe, including you, dear brother, need to bear in mind that the pain your country bears is a pain that is transferred to the masses of our people, who face their own challenges of poverty, unemployment and underdevelopment.
This particular burden is not carried by the countries of Western Europe and North America, which have benefited especially from the migration of skilled and professional Zimbabweans to the north.
In the end, when all is said and done, Zimbabwe will have to exist in peace and productive collaboration with its neighbours in Southern Africa and the rest of Africa.
Realistically, Zimbabwe will never share the same neighbourhood with the countries of Western Europe and North America, and therefore secure its success on the basis of friendship with these, and contempt for the decisions of its immediate African neighbours.
I say this humbly to advise that it does not help Zimbabwe, nor will it help you as prime minister of Zimbabwe, that the MDC (T) contemptuously repudiates very serious decisions of our region, and therefore our continent, describing them as "a nullity".
It may be that, for whatever reason, you consider our region and continent as being of little consequence to the future of Zimbabwe, believing that others further away, in Western Europe and North America, are of greater importance.
In this context I have been told that because leaders in our region did not agree with you on some matters that served on the agenda of the SADC Extraordinary Summit Meeting, you have denounced them publicly as "cowards".
Such manner of proceeding might earn you prominent media headlines. However, I assure you that it will do nothing to solve the problems of Zimbabwe.
As you secure applause because of the insult against us that we are "cowards", you will have to consider the reality that our peoples have accepted into their countries very large numbers of Zimbabwean brothers and sisters in a spirit of human solidarity, prepared to sustain the resultant obligations. None of our countries displayed characteristics of cowardice when they did this.
All of us will find it strange and insulting that because we do not agree with you on a small matter, you choose to describe us in a manner that is most offensive in terms of African culture, and therefore offend our sense of dignity as Africans, across our borders.
As facilitator I am more than convinced that we should hold the November 25 meeting as proposed by your negotiators, to agree on the text of Constitutional Amendment No 19, and the procedures for its approval.
The facilitation therefore confirms the arrangements that have been made for this critically important meeting.
Consistent with the principle agreed from the very beginning of the SADC-mandated negotiations, that no party to the negotiations has veto powers, the facilitation will engage any party that arrives to attend the November 25 meeting which your negotiators proposed, and which we convinced the other parties to accept.
As a matter of courtesy, as well as for their information and action, I would like to inform you that I will make available the November 19 letter of the Hon Tendai Biti to me, and this response to you, to:
• the other Zimbabwe negotiating parties;
• the chairperson and acting chairperson of the SADC Organ on Politics etc;
• the chairperson of SADC;
• the chairperson of the AU;
• the chairperson of the AU Commission;
• the secretary general of the United Nations; and,
• the executive secretary of SADC.
Yours sincerely,
Thabo Mbeki
Labels: MORGAN TSVANGIRAI, NEGOTIATIONS, TENDAI BITI, THABO MBEKI
Read more...
Sept. 15 agreement now drips with blood
Leonard Makombe - Opinion
Fri, 28 Nov 2008 05:18:00 +0000
WHAT is wrong with Zimbabwe? Why is a political solution becoming so elusive? Why is it there is so much talk about the best way(s) forward yet we remain at the junction perpetually? Is it the leaders lack reason or the proposed solutions lack reason. Or simply put, we are cursed, so much so that the leaders have been blinded by trivialities.
Even mother nature has unleashed the deadly cholera, just to expose us further, the ominous outbreak may be a rude nudge to the leaders to once again look at the situation and take stock of what they are doing and how it is helping to assist the situation. Assist here is double edged, as it may mean contributing to the problems or making sure that they are eliminated.
As a Zimbabwean whose potential, future, past and present has been frozen in a mortal combat of the elites, I have been left wondering what will happen to the country.
In my very humble opinion, one informed by a struggle for survival, the September 15 agreement now drips with blood. I was against the manner through which the talks were held, and have argued that they should involve the ordinary Zimbabwean, but as many other people we accepted the final product with reservation. It it was a bastard, born outside the wedlock of the basic aspirations of the ordinary Zimbabwean.
Reading through th agreement, many thought there was room for input of the ordinary citizen, especially during the constitutional process as well as the formation of different bodies such as the National Economic Council, which I thought would bring the best brains together to map the way forward for the country.
However, as has been argued earlier in July, there is always a danger of giving politicians all the power to decide on our behalf. In fact what the agreement has done is to execute a coup on the masses of the country as it is now not clear what role we have to play for example if a sitting member of parliament dies or is recalled. Is it possible for us to march through Harare demanding that the agreement be implemented when we were not part of the the initial process. Celebrating the agreement, for us the poor, was like enjoying a meal in a train we did not even know the destination and why we had the meal and what will happen next.
We may have forgiven this coup, if the agreement had restored some of our basic needs, that is food and water. Maybe we would have concluded it was a necessary evil with the end justifying the means. But not at the moment. If anything, there has suddenly been a number of issues which have extended the suffering of the people whose origins directly or otherwise is on that document.
Why is it that there has been the fastest acceleration of the rate of inflation, currency devaluation and erosion of the social service in the last two months. If compared to last year, is what we are witnessing a normal development or a completely new phenomenon. Why has there been a sudden and sharp change at a time when we should have been restoring hope or witnessing a wait and see in the business sector.
A critical analysis of the situation could show a scorched earth policy which has been adopted by politicians and business. The politicians are held up in a rather silly combat as to who should have what, when and how reminiscent of robbers sharing a loot in the graveyard at the witching hours of the night.
The business on the other hand has taken the failure to agree as a sign that central control has collapsed, at least as of now, thus they are capitalising on the situation and sell orange juice for US$7 a product which costs US$2 in neighbouring countries.
These internal acts of terrorism against the people by the politicians and the business sector has brought untold suffering of the people. (We should be asking who in the top brass of the three political parties has a child attending a school in Zimbabwe or has a relative on a deathbed in a semi closed hospital) It (the terror and arrogance) has in other words eroded the hope that was laid in September.
This is not to argue that there should not have been disagreements but we are saying the manner in which they were held and the time it takes to resolve disputes was detrimental. They seem to be in no hurry as I see it. After all the negotiators and their immediate families are assured of three meals and the best health and education. That has always been my argument, how would we let those scratching their stomachs after a hearty meal address issues of 'sadza'.
Some of the issues which spilled into the public sphere, show that the agreement was hastened and issues were brought as an after thought.There is also an underlying fact that the delay in creating a government can also be traced to individual fights for personal pursuits. For most of the time the issues which are discussed are not on policy but on police. My God.
What politicians should note is that the people are not stupid and they would be shocked if they go back to their constituencies at the moment as there is voter fatigue and mere hopelessness. To cite an example given by Julius Nyerere, placing hope in the three parties is like having a village faced with famine send the able bodies to source food. The chosen ones would instead of coming with food enjoy the plenty away from the madding growls never to come back.
Apart from the scorched earth policy which has been adopted by Zanu PF, MDC-T and MDC-M, there are some external factors which have compounded the Zimbabwe problems. I call it the 'scorched earth policy' as they are literally burning all the things in sight, the hope, the confidence in negotiations and the ownership of the process.
The Southern African Development Community (Sadc) for example has been caught in a web which it may not extricate itself, at least in the short term. The issue of the contradictions brought by the decisions of the troika and the main body are not anything new. There were not contradictions in what the troika recommended and what the main body recommended, but one is left wondering why take a circumspect route. Why did we have to have a troika in Swaziland, aborted, over the passport issue, then the Harare one with its disputed communique and then the Sadc Extra Ordinary Summit whose decision was also disputed? Its like a a script of a tragedy where we almost can guess what the next line is yet we cannot change anything but wait and see what will happen yet we already know what it is.
Sadc has largely let down Zimbabwe. It is an expose of the bloc, as it has to learn from its handling of the Zimbabwean issue. This is not the first time there has been contradictions in the regional body, the war in DRC a decade ago brought such contradictions and it was a learning curve.
The Troika decided to send a force while the main board was not decisive then. But on the Zimbabwean issue, it is time Sadc be decisive. Like what it said on the Extra Ordinary Summit, it is time for the regional bloc to take steps which will help Zimbabwe out of the political, social and economic problems.
In the same breath, what Botswana has been trying to do has, if anything, been contradictory. We have accusations that the MDC-T is using the country to train a force, which is denied by that country and yet the minister of foreign affairs says they are prepared to have Morgan Tsvangirai resident in the country as a leader in exile.
The minister also said they would assist in "democratic resistance". This statement, in strategic terms would give Zanu PF arsenal which, I believe, will use gladly but not for the betterment of the country but buttering of relations.
Even suggestions by Ian Khama that the country should go back to the polls are misplaced, mistimed and go against the grain of the realities on the ground. It is not too harsh to suggest that there is no political party that is willing, as of now, to go to the polls once again. A return to the polls, with the harrowing experience of the post March 29 harmonized elections still fresh, would make the whole affair another fuss.
Questions may also be raised as to what conditions should prevail before a new elections are held, whether there would be a new constitution, new electoral bodies and the issue of supervision. At this time, like was the case after March 2008, it is not necessary to hold another election.
In other words a call for another election will speed up the turmoil in the country. A cursory look at statistics will show that the slide in economic turmoil accelerated in an election year. A call for another election may be informed by a desire to sweep to power, but what lies beyond that is darkness as of now.
Actually, I support what Khama and Mohlante said this week when they said the unity government is the best way forward. The review period may be reduced, or the government may operate for a shorter period of time, say 24-30 months instead of the 60.
It is quite heartening that the past week has seen a change in the tone pertaining to the speed with which the talks should be concluded.
Arguing that these may take longer or should so that the final product is water tight are inhuman and meant to mislead us. We have respected men and a woman negotiating, and they have been doing this for quite some time. Remember Constitutional Amendment Number 19 came as a result of the hushed talks. They even have a draft constitution in the form of the Kariba Draft. Taking longer on the constitution may mean the parties would walk through more bodies on their route to corridors of power.
Ironically, all the three parties purport to be doing each action it takes in our name and we wonder, at least I do, if as a people I wish to see more of my relatives and friends dying or see the media mud-slinging.
Leonard Makombe
lmakombe@yahoo.com
Labels: NATIONAL UNITY GOVERNMENT, NEGOTIATIONS
Read more...
Mbeki summons parties
By Zvamaida Murwira
THE facilitator of the inter-party talks, former South African president Cde Thabo Mbeki, has scheduled a meeting of the negotiators in South Africa next week to discuss the draft Consti-tutional Amendment Number 19 Bill.
The Government’s legal department completed the draft, which was sent to Cde Mbeki for scrutiny. Cde Mbeki, in turn, called for a meeting with the negotiators in South Africa next week to study the draft. The three parties are currently studying the document.
MDC secretary-general Professor Welsh-man Ncube yesterday confirmed the negotiators had been summoned to a meeting in South Africa.
Prof Ncube and his deputy Mrs Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga are the MDC negotiators.
He said his party had since received the draft from the South African Embassy in Harare after Government dispatched the document to Cde Mbeki.
"We collected the document from the South African embassy on Tuesday. We were supposed to go to South Africa to discuss the document this week, but the facilitator told us that the MDC-T had indicated that they could not make it this week so it was deferred to next week," Prof Ncube said.
Asked if the commencement of discussions of the constitutional amendments would entail the early reconvening of Parliament, Prof Ncube said that was not necessary.
"Parliament would not convene early for purposes of debating Constitutional Amend-ment Number 19. It must first be gazetted and there should be a period of 30 days allowing public scrutiny and observations and this is a constitutional requirement that should happen before it is tabled," said Prof Ncube.
MDC-T spokesman Mr Nelson Chamisa said his party had not seen the draft Bill, but was aware that it had been sent to the facilitator.
"We have done our own draft which is now ready for scrutiny. We have not seen that Zanu-PF draft, but we understand that it is in South Africa. We hope that our document would be similar to the Zanu-PF document. Our draft has tried to capture the spirit of the Memorandum of Understanding," Mr Chamisa said.
Minister of Information and Publicity Cde Sikhanyiso Ndlovu on Tuesday told church leaders in Harare that the draft was complete and had since been forwarded to Cde Mbeki.
He said the Minister of Legal and Constitutional Affairs — who will be drawn from MDC-T — would steer the Bill in Parliament through all the four stages.
The MDC-T was allocated the Legal and Constitutional Affairs portfolio when President Mugabe gazetted ministries recently.
The Bill requires a two-thirds majority vote, in both Houses sitting separately, to become law.
If passed into law, the resultant Act would give legal force to the offices of Prime Minister and his two deputies and also create positions for nine non-constituency Senators.
Cde Ndlovu said he expected all the parties to support the Bill.
Zanu-PF will be represented by the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Cde Patrick Chinamasa; and the Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, Cde Nicholas Goche; while the MDC-T negotiators are party secretary-general Mr Tendai Biti and deputy national treasurer Mr Elton Mangoma.
Labels: NEGOTIATIONS, THABO MBEKI
Read more...
Mugabe turns down Tsvangirai’s request
Written by George Chellah in Johannesburg, South Africa
Monday, November 10, 2008 7:43:52 AM
PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe last week turned down opposition MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai's last minute request for a one-on-one meeting to break the deadlock over the power-sharing agreement before the SADC extraordinary summit.
And
the Botswana government has said it stands ready to open its borders to Zimbabwe so that the Zimbabwean authorities could fish out the anti-Zimbabwe militia allegedly being trained in their territory.SADC insiders yesterday revealed to The Post that Tsvangirai attempted to reach out to President Mugabe last week but the veteran leader rejected his request for a meeting.
“Mr Tsvangirai has been trying to meet President Mugabe in Harare so that they could break the deadlock on the power-sharing agreement before today's SADC extraordinary summit,” the source disclosed. “Mr Tsvangirai has been making attempts for a meeting with President Mugabe even as late as last night here in South Africa. President Mugabe appears to have rejected Mr Tsvangirai's requests for a meeting because initially it was the MDC leader himself who was pushing that this matter be taken to SADC. So why should he try to stop it now when his wish has been granted?”
On the tension between Botswana and Zimbabwe, the source revealed that the Botswana government has defended itself over the allegations that it was training an anti-Zimbabwe militia.
“They raised a defence at the last regional meeting that was held in Mozambique. The Botswana government told the meeting that it was ready to open its borders for inspections so that the Zimbabwean authorities could pick up the alleged insurgents that were being trained in Botswana,” the source said “They explained that the Zimbabwean government was misled by two Zimbabwean nationals who were flashed out after they attempted to join the Botswana Defence Forces (BDF). They said two Zimbabweans tried to infiltrate the BDF but were identified and flushed out mid-way through the military training.
“The Botswana government went down into history and wondered why Zimbabwe should accuse them of such crimes when during their protracted liberation war, it aided them to transfer weapons through their territory. But the Zimbabwean government appears not be taking that defence. They still believe that Botswana was conducting some clandestine activities to destabilise Zimbabwe.”
The source said the extraordinary SADC summit would come up with a final position after it has received a report from the regional minister's meeting that was held in Mozambique.
Recently, the Zimbabwean government raised a complaint to the SADC organ on Politics, Defence and Security over a militia, which is allegedly being trained in neighbouring Botswana.
Sources in the Botswana government disclosed to The Post that the Zimbabwean government launched a complaint to the regional bloc's organ on Politics, Defence and Security.
The source revealed that even the troika meeting that was held in Zimbabwe discussed the matter.
“The argument being advanced by the Zimbabwean administration is that: 'how can ZANU-PF and the opposition MDC-Morgan Tsvangirai faction work together in an all-inclusive government if the other side with the assistance of Britain and President Major General Ian Khama have already adopted the military option?'”
And officially opening the SADC extraordinary summit, South African President Kgalema Motlanthe called for the conclusion of the discussion on the Zimbabwe power-sharing agreement.
“The historic power sharing agreement signed on 15 September remains the only vehicle to help extricate Zimbabwe from her socio-economic challenges. It is, however, disappointing that it is two months since the signing of the agreement and the parties have not yet been able to conclude the discussions on the formation of an inclusive government,” President Motlanthe said. “The political leadership in Zimbabwe owes it to the people of Zimbabwe and the region to show political maturity, by putting the interest of Zimbabwe first. Therefore, we urge the three parties to build on the achievement made thus far and reach an agreement on the outstanding issues including the Ministry of Home Affairs.”
On the DRC conflict, President Motlanthe called for an immediate ceasefire to allow humanitarian assistance to the displaced people.
“Let me repeat, we firmly believe that there is no military solution to the problem. We call for full implementation of both Nairobi communiqué and Goma agreement as well as the Amani processes,” President Motlanthe said. “These processes are a basis for a sustainable solution to the problems of the eastern part of the DRC.”
He said the involvement of all role players including SADC in the DRC was central.
President Motlanthe said SADC remained ready to assist the people of Zimbabwe and the DRC to achieve long lasting peace.
Several regional leaders were in attendance. Those conspicuously missing included Angolan President Edwardo Dos Santos, Zambian President Rupiah Banda, Malawian President Dr Bingu Wa Mutharika, Swaziland's King Mswati and Botswana President Khama, who was represented by his Vice-President.
Labels: BOTSWANA, COLOUR REVOLUTIONS, KGALEMA MOTLANTHE, MORGAN TSVANGIRAI, MUGABE, NEGOTIATIONS, SADC
Read more...
COMMENT - Why stop at the 1980s? Why not bring to justice those who committed atrocities under Ian Smith, such as Roy Bennett, and all these prominent Rhodesian members of the MDC?
Tsvangirai deliberately derailing talks: Zanu PF
Ranganai Chidemo
Tue, 04 Nov 2008 02:37:00 +0000
THE ruling Zanu PF party has accused the Movement for Democratic Change leader Morgan Tsvangirai for trying to deliberately derail the power-sharing talks by concentrating on issues that are not currently under debate in the power-sharing talks.
The MDC leader over the weekend called for a truth commission to examine massacres in the country’s Matabeleland and Midlands provinces in the 1980s saying perpetrators should be brought to justice.
"This country has gone through a lot of traumatic experiences," Tsvangirai said at the launch of a video on the 1980s atrocities.
"What we have to accept is that in order to heal there must be justice, and in order to have justice there must be truth," Tsvangirai said at the weekend.
Information and Publicity Minister, Sikhanyiso Ndlovu questioned the motive behind the MDC leader’s statement and accused him of reintroducing a controversial debate when power-sharing talks are taking place.
“It looks like he is against the spirit of the agreement,” said Ndlovu, adding that “Instead of concentrating on forming an inclusive government he (Tsvangirai) is dabbling in peripheral issues.”
Ndlovu continued: “The President (Mugabe) has said that history was a sad moment in the past which is regrettable.
The minister said the MDC leader is stalling the talks each time an agreement is about to be reached which is evidence that he was not sincere in his call for a power-sharing arrangement to obtain in Zimbabwe.
“Zimbabweans want a new government and not populism,” said Ndlovu accusing the MDC leader for negotiating in the media against the spirit of the Memorandum of Understanding signed by Zanu PF and the two MDC formations.
"We have seen him (Tsvangirai) use these tactics each time the negotiating parties come closer to a deal. This looks like an attempt on his part to derail the power-sharing agreement," added the minister who also accussed Tsvangirai of reflecting the position of the West on Zimbabwe each time the talks are stalled.
Power-sharing talks are continuing between the two formations of the MDC and Zanu PF.
The talks were deadlocked over control of the home affairs ministry, which oversees the police.
Meanwhile the MDC leader told a rally in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe's second largest city, that he would be attending an Extraordinary Summit of the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) called by the Organ for Politics, Security and Defence, to try and break the deadlock between Zanu PF and the two MDCs.
The MDC Secretary General, Tendai Biti had said the MDC leader would not be travelling anywhere if he was not granted a passport. However, Tsvangirai said he would not be deterred by anyone (or anything) in travelling anywhere he wanted.
The extraordinary Sadc summit is likely to be held in South Africa.
South African President Kgalema Motlanthe currently chairs the regional body and will also chair the extraordinary summit whose date is yet to be announced.
Labels: MDC, MORGAN TSVANGIRAI, NEGOTIATIONS
Read more...
MDC out of touch with supporters – Madhuku
Floyd Nkomo
Fri, 31 Oct 2008 00:47:00 +0000
UNCONVINCED: Dr Lovemore Madhuku
THE current leadership of the Movement for Democratic Change party led by Morgan Tsvangirai is desperate to go into the partnership deal with Zanu PF and has lost touch with the feelings of their own members, according to constitutional lawyer and Chairman of the National Constitutional Assembly of Zimbabwe, Dr. Lovemore Madhuku.
“The current MDC leadership is desperate to go into the partnership deal but not the people,” said Madhuku to SW Radio referring to the Global Power-Sharing Agreement signed by the two MDC formations and the ruling Zanu PF party. “MDC is out of touch with the feelings of their own members,” he continued.
Madhuku added that the leadership of the MDC signed a deal with Zanu PF on September 15 without having thought it through and are now desperately trying to justify signing that deal to their supporters.
With reference to the MDC’s current demands including the control of the Home Affairs Ministry and the sharing of Provincial Governor positions, Madhuku said that the MDC leadership is pushing for a few more concessions which will help them save face as people will be led to believe that they (the MDC) achieved something.
He said that the MDC party is “praying that Mugabe makes a few more concessions and they will be seen to have achieved something” from that deal. “This is an afterthought,” said Madhuku.
He criticised demands by the MDC that a full Sadc summit be convened arguing that the expanded summit will not help break the current deadlock. He said Sadc, as a regional body in which Zimbabwe is a member, cannot force the Government of Zimbabwe (GOZ) to adopt a particular approach or to sign any deal, adding that the regional body can only make recommendations to the GOZ..
“Sadc would not have power to force (President) Mugabe to do anything. It only makes recommendations. Those recommendations will not bind the parties.”
Madhuku dismissed the suggestion that Sadc could pressurise President Mugabe into making further concessions to the MDC party arguing that the number of Zanu PF “friends” in the regional organisation increases as the number of countries discussing the Zimbabwean situation increases. He said the number of African leaders supporting President Mugabe further increases at the African Union level.
“(President) Mugabe has more friends in a full Sadc summit, and even more in the African Union,” said Madhuku implying that the MDC might have made a serious miscalculation in calling for an Extraordinary Summit of the whole Sadc group, rather than trying to find a resolution at the Troika (the Organ on Politics, Security and Defence) level.
Earlier in the week, Madhuku told Reuters that "the greater pressure will be on Tsvangirai because many Sadc leaders believe that Mugabe has already climbed down low enough."
Madhuku dismissed the suggestion that the United Nations will be able to pressure President Mugabe to cede the Home Affairs Ministry to the MDC arguing that the question of allocation of ministries will not be entertained at that diplomatic level, where more pressing issues are discussed. Issues threatening international (and/or regional) peace and security are discussed at the UN General Assembly and UN Security Council stages and the issues of the allocation of ministries are best handled at the national level.
According to Madhuku, the dispute over one ministry is not a threat to international or regional peace and security.
“The new dispute is over the allocation of ministries, not that he (President Mugabe) doesn’t want to work with the Opposition,” said Madhuku adding that “appealing to the UN General Assembly or the Security Council in this instance will not help.”
To these bodies “the dispute looks too small now.”
“The Security Council will not be able to do anything as they are bound by the principle of non-interference” in the domestic affairs of a member nation.
Madhuku says he does not see President Mugabe making any further concessions and thinks a new deal is unlikely to be signed. “I can foresee a situation where a new round of negotiations will take place which will see a new set of elections” for Zimbabwe.
In a separate interview with AFP news agency, Madhuku said that his organisation was “not very hopeful” that a power-sharing arrangement will be agreed by the principals, President Mugabe, Tsvangirai and Arthur Mutambara of the smaller MDC faction.
He said both MDC and Zanu PF “have been changing goal-posts and one wonders why they signed the agreement.”
Madhuku sees the different positions of President Mugabe and Tsvangirai as indicators of their irreconcilable differences and their inability to work together in an all-inclusive Government.
Meanwhile, the Executive Secretary of Sadc, Tomaz Salamao said he was positive an agreement between the two Zimbabwean leaders would be reached and that a Plan B was irrelevant. Salamao’s sentiments are in line with the sentiments expressed by Sadc leaders in a communiqué issued after Monday’s Troika summit in Harare calling for President Mugabe and Tsvangirai to engage in talks to break the impasse.
Labels: LOVEMORE MADHUKU, MDC, NEGOTIATIONS
Read more...
Biti, Tsvangirai differ on summit attendance
AFP/Zim Guardian reporters
Sun, 02 Nov 2008 06:32:00 +0000
THE opposition Movement for Democratic Change leader Morgan Tsvangirai on Saturday dropped conditions on attending the next full Southern African Development Community (Sadc) summit even if he does not receive his passport dropping conditions he and his party set last week.
The chief negotiator and Secretary General of the MDC, Tendai Biti, had told reporters on Tuesday that Tsvangirai would not travel to the summit unless he received his passport, although the MDC leader spent the whole of last year travelling on an emergency travel document (ETD).
But Tsvangirai defied the hardline position of his Secretary General, and told reporter that he would attend the summit even if the government refused to grant him a passport.
"With or without a passport, I will attend," he told AFP news agency in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe's second city going against the hardline position of Biti.
This is not the first time the two leaders have sung from different hymn books. Earlier this year Biti opposed the convening of Parliament arguing that it meant that the opposition MDC party recognized Mugabe as President of Zimbabwe. Tsvangirai, at the time, issued a statement that the convening of Parliament was necessary.
Insider reports from the MDC party suggest that the two leaders have clashed several times on strategy leading to the issuance of different statements on policy and related issues.
Tsvangirai has not had a passport for almost a year, and must seek an ETD each time he leaves the country.
Biti had called the government's failure to grant him a normal passport "the crudest form of lack of sincerity" by President Robert Mugabe.
Leaders from the 15-nation Sadc are expected to hold an emergency summit aimed at pressing Tsvangirai and Mugabe to resolve their differences on forming an all-inclusive government.
The rivals agreed to a power-sharing deal on September 15, but talks have stalled over how to divide control of the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Regional leaders met twice last month in a bid to facilitate the power-sharing agreement, but they remain deadlocked over control of the home affairs ministry.
The date and location of the summit have not yet been announced.
AFP/Zim Guardian
Labels: MDC, MORGAN TSVANGIRAI, NEGOTIATIONS, SADC, TENDAI BITI
Read more...
McComack statement: US playing with people's minds
Peter Chimutsa - Opinion
Thu, 30 Oct 2008 14:11:00 +0000
DEAR EDITOR - I was shocked to read the latest statement by Sean McComack of the US Department of State with regards to Zimbabwe. This public diplomatic approach of the US is now getting ridiculous. How can a country that has imposed sanctions on a country be concerned about the suffering people?
What rank hypocrisy!
US interference in Zimbabwe has become nauseating and
many of us are beginning to see through such machinations and that country's efforts at trying to play on people's minds by using this kind of propaganda.
This approach - a feature of the 1980s Cold War - does not work anymore. Many of us are now media savvy and can see through such statements. US could be a huge donor for Zimbabwe, but it is also responsible partly for the suffering we face today (in concert with her ally Britain). They have caused a lot of suffering in the country.
At a time when the region, especially South Africa, is making efforts to help Zimbabwe they issue such a statement. What does McComack mean when he says "The United States calls upon these leaders to resolve the impasse between the two parties now"? Who is McCormack in Zimbabwe and why the obsession with this tiny landlocked country? McComack knows what needs to be done for the suffering in Zimbabwe to end. The US should reopen diplomatic channels with Zimbabwe, remove sanctions and allow US businesses to work with Zimbabwe (according to the laws of the country). Humanitarian aid will not give people jobs nor improve the economic well-being of the country.
This US propaganda has been used too often. They should reverse ZIDERA first and allow businesses from America to do business with Zimbabwe, then talk about the suffering of the people.
The US is well known for causing deaths and havoc in many countries and then hide under the banner of humanitarian assistance. This has happened too often now that we are all no longer absorbing this propaganda anymore.
This level of propaganda from a country that claims the stewardship of the world in shocking. It is a good thing now that global power is being realigned as US and Britain are adopting a 'Look East Policy' and running to China for rescue packages. What is shocking is the fact that US still thinks it is the greatest nation on planet earth when its public diplomacy has failed dismally and has made so many enemies the world over.
The rise of Barack Obama is true testament of how fed up people are with Washington and its excesses.
The US has never been involoved in state building anywhere in the world. Everywhere it has been involved, it has left intractable conflict and caused terror on civilian populations. Just look around you - the evidence is there for everyone to see.
Peter Chimutsa
peterchimutsa yahoo.com
Labels: NEGOTIATIONS, SADC, SEAN MCCORMACK, ZIMBABWE
Read more...
Historic power-sharing deal signed
Itayi GARANDE
Mon, 15 Sep 2008 10:42:00 +0000
A HISTORIC power-sharing deal was officially signed this morning by the leaders of the main political parties in Zimbabwe. The highest decision-making bodies of the two parties yesterday endorsed the power sharing-deal. The MDC National Council, the party's supreme decision-making body, on Sunday endorsed the political brokered by the Southern African Development Community, while Zanu PF’s politburo met on Friday and unanimously agreed to the deal.
The signing ceremony was attended by close to 20 regional and international leaders. Some of the dignitaries flew into the capital yesterday while others, including the Sadc-appointed mediator in the Zimbabwean dialogue, President Thabo Mbeki of South Africa, flew in this morning.
The first part of the ceremony was introduced by King Mswati III of Swaziland who has just recently celebrated his 40th birthday and the 40th occassion of his country's independence from Britain. Mswati III congratulated the principals to the negotiation and the facilitator President Thabo Mbeki for their concerted effort in finding a peaceful resolution to the Zimbabwean crisis.
President Mbeki introduced the three principals with their new titles: President Robert Mugabe, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara.
Deputy PM Arthur Mutambara was the first to address the conference calling the agreement "the best short-term measure" and was a "result produced by Zimbabweans, and a victory for African solutions to African problems".
"Today is the beginning. The hard work starts today".
PM Morgan Tsvangirai first excused himself for wearing glasses by saying: "I've aged, so I have to use this." Tsvangirai for the first time addressed Mugabe as President and paid tribute to the late Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa for his effiorts in finding a peaceful solution to the Zimbabwean crisis.
Quoting President Mugabe's speech in 1980 on the occassion of the independence of Zimbabwe, Tsvangirai said, "Let's now turn our swords into ploughshares." He called on all the people of Zimbabwe to leave their differences in the past and move forward in rebuilding the country. He warned that there "is no instant cure" in Zimbabwe and that "patience is a virtue".
Tsvangirai called for the international community to support the development of Zimbabwe.
Namibian President Hifikepunye Pohamba, President Seretse Khama Ian Khama of Botswana, Mozambican President Armando Guebuza, President Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania, who is also African Union chairman, Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili of Lesotho, Swaziland’s King Mswati III, who is the chairman of the Sadc Organ on Politics, Defence and Security, and Acting Zambian President Rupiah Banda were in attendance.
Malawian Minister of Health Mr Khumbo Kachale, who was representing President Bingu wa Mutharika, was also in attendance to witness the signing ceremony.
All the 14 Sadc leaders were invited to the official signing ceremony including the executive secretary Dr Tomaz Augusto Salomao and the African Union Commission chairman Jean Ping, and a representative of United Nations secretary-general Mr Ban Ki Moon landed at Harare International Airport late last night.
Representatives of the Angolan and Mauritian leaders also flew in yesterday.
developing...
Labels: ELECTIONS, NEGOTIATIONS, ZIMBABWE
Read more...
Coltart spills the beans on new govt structure
Our reporter
Fri, 12 Sep 2008 10:28:00 +0000
THE recently appointed Senator for the Mutambara MDC has spilled the beans about the structure of the new government despite President Thabo Mbeki’s warning yesterday that Zimbabweans should not speculate on the nature of the deal signed by the principals yesterday paving the way for an all-inclusive government.David Coltart has issued a statement on the historic signing of the deal between the two factions of the Movement for Democratic Change and the Zanu PF party in which he gave details of the power arrangement in the new government.
In what he termed the “bare bones” of the deal, Coltart revealed that the all-inclusive government will be headed by President Robert Mugabe and Morgan Tsvangirai, the MDC leader will be appointed as Prime Minister with “substantial powers” and “will advise (President) Mugabe on all future appointments including Judges, Ambassadors and the like.”
Coltart also revealed that there will be two deputy Prime Ministers “one from MDC T and one from MDC M.”
“Cabinet will be chaired by Mugabe; Tsvangirai will be the vice Chair. Then there will be a Council of Ministers chaired by Tsvangirai which will supervise the work of Cabinet,” said Coltart.
“The Cabinet will largely reflect the votes cast for the different parties in the March election in which Zanu PF got the most votes (if not the most seats), followed by the MDC T and MDC M. In a 31 person Cabinet Zanu PF will have 15 seats, MDC T 13 and MDC M 3. There will be 8, 6 and 1 Deputy Ministers respectively.”
Coltart also revealed that "Constitutional amendment 19 will shortly be moved in Parliament" which will pave the way for setting up the all-inclusive government.
"That process will last 18 months by which time a new democratic Constitution must be implemented, which will also include a time frame for new elections at some point to be conducted in terms of the new Constitution."
President Mbeki in a press conference yesterday warned against speculation about the nature of the deal signed, adding that the process was not complete until signatures had been officially appended by the principals to the agreement.
He said: "Don't trust what you think you know."
Labels: DAVID COLTART, NEGOTIATIONS
Read more...
Historic Zimbabwe power-sharing deal signed on 9/11
Itayi GARANDE
Thu, 11 Sep 2008 20:01:00 +0000
President Mugabe (r) Morgan Tsvangirai agree to share power in an all-inclusive government
THE leader of the Movement for Democratic Change has confirmed to reporters in the capital of Zimbabwe, Harare that a power-sharing deal has been signed by the main political parties in Zimbabwe and President Thabo Mbeki of South Africa, the appointed mediator, has held a press conference to announcing the news.
Tsvangirai confirmed the news shortly after 8pm (GMT). "We've got a deal," he told journalists in Harare, Zimbabwe's capital.
The talks have long been deadlocked over the allocation of executive power between Mugabe and Tsvangirai, but the principals managed to unlock the impasse shortly after 7.30pm (GMT).
The news has also been confirmed by South Africa’s Department of Foreign Affairs.
President Mbeki held a press conference after the agreement and urged the international community to help in the reconstruction of Zimbabwe. He told reporters: "An agreement has been reached about all the matters on the agenda of the negotiations... all of them (leaders) endorsed the document tonight, signed it."
"The new government will work hard to mobilize support from the region to assist the people of Zimbabwe to recover from the economic problems currently being faced," said President Mbeki. "The agreement reached should be supported. Certainly, the region (Sadc) will help in the reconstruction efforts."
"I'm sure this new leadership is ready to address the challenges" facing the country, said Mbeki.
"This is an agreement of the leaders and the people of Zimbabwe and should be respected," he continued. "Zimbabwean people have taken their own decision about the future of their own country, and the rest of the world should respect that."
The South African president said, in response to a question that the power-sharing document had been drafted by the African Union, that it reflects the wishes and aspirations of the Zimbabwean people.
President Mbeki said that a formal ceremony will be held on Monday at 10am (9am GMT) and regional leaders will attend to commemorate the signing of the deal. He urged the media not to speculate on the content of the final document to be officially signed. He warned: "Don't trust what you think you know."
The principals to the talks, President Robert Mugabe, MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai and leader of the smaller faction of the MDC, Arthur Mutambara had expressed optimism Wednesday that a deal was imminent.
The signing of the deal is a major success and diplomatic breakthrough for President Mbeki’s quiet diplomacy which many critics had heralded as a failure. It is also a triumph of African diplomacy as no Western powers were involved in the talks.
President Mbeki has been in Zimbabwe since Monday trying to work out how Tsvangirai and President Mugabe would run an all-inclusive government.
The news was received well by the international community and news correspondents across the world. BBC Africa editor Martin Plaut says the deal opens the way for international donors to help to revive Zimbabwe's economy.
Labels: MORGAN TSVANGIRAI, MUGABE, NEGOTIATIONS
Read more...
Tsvangirai presents new demands, Brown wants more power for the opposition
Our reporter
Thu, 11 Sep 2008 15:41:00 +0000
MOVEMENT for Democratic Change leader,
Morgan Tsvangirai yesterday presented the other two principals to the inter-party dialogue being facilitated by South African President Thabo Mbeki with some more demands, according to the Herald newspaper.
The demands were
known by the foreign press before the other principals had been presented with them.
According to the daily, Tsvangirai reportedly demanded the creation of a National Security Council (NSC) that would be headed by the Prime Minister and would be responsible for "making recommendations to, and advising Cabinet on policy issues" and would be comprised “of all Cabinet ministers”.
The negotiators rejected the proposal arguing that the "ministers would be recommending policy issues to themselves in Cabinet" and this would be grossly irresponsible.
Interestingly western media were already reporting on the NSC before it had been discussed or tabled in the all-party talks. The United Kingdom’s Guardian newspaper reported on the NSC yesterday before Tsvangirai had tabled it to the negotiating team. It said in its online edition: “Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change was proposing that its leader should become prime minister, with authority over ministers, while Mugabe would chair a new national security council, with control over some of the security forces.”
The BBC – on its website – also reported the story yesterday at 08:05 hrs, several hours before the resumption of the all-party talks and before the MDC had presented the new proposal of an NSC to the principals. A report on the site said: “Source in Mr Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) say they are now proposing that Mr Tsvangirai be named prime minister, with full authority over all the ministers, while President Mugabe chairs a new National Security Council.”
Zimbabwe’s diplomatic representatives in the United States yesterday told the Herald that some American media outlets had been asking them to confirm whether President Mugabe had agreed to the creation of the NSC even though the matter had not yet been presented or discussed at the talks.
“This fuelled speculation among negotiators that Tsvangirai had been instructed by Washington to make this demand and this belief was bolstered by indications by intelligence sources that the opposition leader met with US Ambassador to Zimbabwe James McGee before going to the talks venue,” reports the paper.
Tsvangirai is also said to have attended yesterday’s talks with a brand new team of lawyers who had hitherto never attended the talks.
"The presence of the lawyers irked President Mbeki and the other negotiators who told him that their attendance indicated Tsvangirai had come to argue rather than to negotiate. They only left after it was made clear that their presence would not be tolerated in the closed-door discussions," insiders revealed to the Herald.
Talks are reported to have started today at 4PM (2PM GMT) after President Mugabe had asked for time to attend a meeting of traditional chiefs in the second largest city of Bulawayo and to give the mediator, President Mbeki, time to consult with negotiators from Zanu PF and the MDC factions.
BROWN WANTS MORE POWER FOR THE OPPOSITION
Meanwhile British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said the negotiators must forge a power-sharing deal that reflects the outcome of the March 29 elections.
"We want an outcome that reflects the democratic will of the Zimbabwe people," Brown, who is premier of Zimbabwe’s former colonizer, told his monthly news conference.
"We want an outcome particularly that reflects the election that was the first election when obviously the MDC party showed that it had popular support," he said, referring to the first round poll which failed to produce an outright winner.
None of the candidates secured the 50 plus one percent vote required to form a government, triggering a runoff presidential election won by President Mugabe after the MDC-T leader boycotted it, citing increasing level of violence. In a joint communiqué issued by the two parties, the MDC-T leader accepted that his party was also involved in the violence.
Brown said Britain hoped for "a transition so that it is possible for the MDC and those people who have been legitimately elected to be able to have their legitimate place in the government of Zimbabwe."
"We will judge our response by the extent to which that has happened," Brown added.
Labels: COLOUR REVOLUTIONS, GORDON BROWN, MORGAN TSVANGIRAI, NEGOTIATIONS
Read more...
