Kitsepile Nyathi
22 August 2008
Harare — President Robert Mugabe's ruling Zanu PF has resolved not to give in to the opposition's demands for executive powers in any power sharing arrangement.
The move is yet another sign that talks to resolve Zimbabwe's political crisis might have collapsed.
Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Morgan Tsvangirai on Thursday described Zanu PF's plans to convene Parliament next Tuesday as a clear "repudation" of the framework for the inter party dialogue aimed at forging a government of national unity.
Conditions for talks
The parties had agreed in a memorandum of understanding setting the conditions and time frame for the talks to suspend the convening of Parliament until a deal was reached.
But a meeting of Zanu PF's top decision making body, the Politburo, late on Thursday reportedly endorsed Mugabe's decision to convene Parliament and urged the embattled leader not to give in to MDC's demands.
The decision was immediately backed by the militant former liberation war fighters who were instrumental in Mugabe's bloody re-election campaign that left more than 100 MDC supporters dead and thousands displaced.
"We resolved that no further executive powers will be given to Tsvangirai," a member of the communist-style politburo was quoted as having said by an online publication. "Members were adamant that what he has been offered is enough and the issue of President Mugabe maintaining his present executive powers is non-negotiable."
Tsvangirai has maintained that he would not sign any deal that does not guarantee him executive powers insisting that a "bad deal is as good as no deal."
Zanu PF deputy secretary Ephraim Masawi said the ruling party's Central Committee would meet tomorrow to endorse Mugabe's plans to convene Parliament and to form a new government that might exclude Tsvangirai.
Assemble Parliament
He said the Politburo welcomed the support the recent Southern African Development Community (SADC) summit gave to the talks and the call for Zimbabwe to assemble Parliament, which has been in limbo since the March elections.
Jabulani Sibanda, the chairman of the war veterans said they wanted Mugabe to proceed with the formation of a new government without delay.
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Your preferred person is not people. Zimbabwe needs progress in the economic front NOW! Let all faculties of state and gvt function to alleviate more suffering. An individual coming to gvt is not God who will bring manna for the people unless he only opens the keys that he/she locked to make people suffer. While personal interests must be entertained independently of a working gvt let us address monetary issues. Let any gvt come into being and declare the lifting of illegal sanctions through the able SADC body.
If anyone dreams that politicians come into being to cede power to other power craving opportunists then go get some sleep and dream again. Mugabe is not there to give Tsvangirai power so is Tsvangirai is not there to give Mugabe power. The situation on the ground, agreed by SADC gives Zimbabweans an impetus to chart the way forward with Mugabe president and Tsvangirai prime minister, he who refuses will be for personal ego and can go to hell. Our situation no longer require individuals but a collective national and regional effort, when the west was applying economic sanctions to our country the majority who still crave for a fight thought it was to remove Mugabe while their relatives are the one to suffer. That war is over if you need Tsvangirai alone go to Buhera and stay with his mom, Zimbabweans of all walks of life need each other now than never just to plug our country out of this economic quagmire.
The more you look in any individual is the more you become an empty numskull. Tsvangirai brings nothing to gvt but his non-intellectual head for his western backers would not release funds for him in a non-sweeping gvt that does not reverse the property rights policies to pre 2000 setup all in an effort to favor those whites with repossessed lands. If the economic interests of the marginalized are regarded in a new gvt then the western backed opposition becomes a nonentity.
Power to the people? Oh my! Gordon Brown does not have any election mandate to rule Britain nor his labor party has morality to lead gvt for it is being slaughtered by the conservatives in opinion polls. Go get power from Queen Elizabeth and give it to the people! Who really wants to be run by George Bush in America. The situation in Zim calls for a GNU in the Now and Here, period.
Poor onesoulzim1, where will your rotten mind take you to? Thanks God, a majority of Zimbabweans do not recognize the lunatic logic you hold.
"Poor onesoulzim1, where will your rotten mind take you to? Thanks God, a majority of Zimbabweans do not recognize the lunatic logic you hold."
Prem, I'm sure that the a far greater majority of Zimbabweans agree with Onesoulzim1 views than they do with your brand of one-note lunacy.
If they do agree with him and yourself then Zimbabwe is doomed to die forever.With the mindset of both of you Zimbabwe will never in a million lifetimes recover. Your mindset is the problem with Zimbabwe not the solution.
Amen Amen Amen my son. Pamberi newe mupwere!!!
Everytime I read your comments , the word 'NUMBSKULL" comes to mind !
SORRY my friend your emotional posturing does not help. Cool down! There is nothing to be achieved by shouting insults and slogans ... believe it or not, it wont get us together anywhere. Besides sending RMG and his team to be tried by muzungu in the Hague, what is your vision of Gt Zim's future??? After some years in English jails, they would come back to Zimbabwe and then whats next on your agenda assuming that you would be still angry and frustrated. No sir, being vengeful is not the solution to our problem ... namely that the main source of our inability to run anything is our lack of accountabilty in all we do ...in the MDC one sees that tendency. In ZANU, this is compounded by permanent arrogance and stubbornnes. Our hope is in our young people in the diaspora who have seen how other countries run their affairs....especially that Advancement and Modernity grows out of the ability to collect REVENUE through taxes at all levels of society, including the CHEFS. This is the problem in the RSA where only the very few vazungu continue to pay taxes and the majority dont bother or are not aware of the need to meet this national obligation. The result is an UPSIDE DOWN pyramid, 95% of population being supported by only 5%. Even you, my son, agree that it is an unattainable and unsustainable situation
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The idiots who are cheering the buther, mugabi, on don't give a damn if Zimbabweans live or die, because the're laughing all the way to the bank. They're under estimating the power of the people. Eventually, they'll wake up and administer justice to their butchers.
POWER TO THE PEOPLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!