BuaNews (Tshwane)
Bathandwa Mbola
15 September 2008
Harare — The new government of national unity in Zimbabwe has agreed that the rebuilding of the country starts today.
Addressing hundreds of delegates attending the landmark signing ceremony of the new government on Monday, the new Zimbabwean Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai said the deal was a clear example of an African solution to African problems.
"The truth is that we are facing a crisis, and we will have to work together to resolve it ... and yes we will face challenges but we are ready for them," the Prime Minister said, adding that the rebuilding of the country's social status had to start immediately.
Over the past decade, Zimbabwe's economy gradually collapsed with country having the world's highest inflation rate, chronic shortages of foreign currency and food, skyrocketing unemployment and widespread hunger.
"All we can do, and will do, is to work together to establish the environment where every Zimbabwean has the opportunity to contribute to solve the problems we face."
The deal, mediated by President Thabo Mbeki, allows Robert Mugabe to extend his 28 years as Zimbabwe's leader, while naming Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), Mr Tsvangirai, as prime minister and MDC fraction leader Arthur Mutambara Mutambara as deputy prime minister.
The 31-member Cabinet will be split, with President Zanu-PF holding 15 positions while 16 seats will be reserved for the two factions of the MDC.
The accord, which was reached in Harare on Thursday, ends a six-month deadlock that followed elections on 29 March.
In those polls, the MDC won more seats than Zanu-PF, it's first- ever election defeat.
While Mr Tsvangirai got the most votes in the presidential election he did not win more than 50 percent needed to avoid a second round. Mr Tsvangirai boycotted the runoff because of violent attacks on his supporters.
However, today both parties called for a united Zimbabwe and said whatever happened in the past should be left there.
"I, the prime minister of Zimbabwe, call Zanu-PF and MDC to unite Zimbabwe. Divisions belong to the past," Prime Minister Tsvangirai said, after signing the landmark agreement.
"The international aid organisations came to help our country and found our doors locked."
He said there was an urgent need to unlock doors to aid, medicine, food, and bring doctors back into the country.
"We need electricity, water, petrol for our vehicles; we need to access our cash from banks," the new prime minister told the delegates.
He said the agreement signed today was a product of painful compromise.
"My hope for the future is greater than my grief for the needless suffering of the past year."
The Deputy Prime Minister Mutumbara admitted that the government had to make "some very painful decisions to drive this country forward".
"We must make sure the healing is cascaded right from the top to the villages ... our country has gone through a painful experience and we have to heal from the top to the bottom."
For his part, the 84-year-old President Mugabe said Zimbabweans must "resist those who want to impose their own will on us."
"Zimbabwe is a sovereign country, only the people of Zimbabwe have the fundamental right to govern it. They alone will set up government, they alone will change it," said President Mugabe, adding that the MDC and Zanu-PF must become allies.
"People will want to see if what we promise is indeed what we strive to do ... We are committed, I am committed, let us all be committed."
While questions remain over whether the power-sharing deal can work in practice, President Mbeki has expressed confidence it will allow Zimbabwe to address the economic meltdown that has caused major food shortages among others in the country.
He said however all the proceedings of the unity government had not yet been finalised however "some discussions have already started about the Constitution of this inclusive government, (but) they have not yet concluded. Mr Mbeki added he was confident that they would do so as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, European Union foreign ministers on Monday decided not to impose further sanctions on Zimbabwe pending a closer study of the political deal.
The council of EU member states "welcomes the conclusion of a political agreement" between Mr Mugabe and Mr Tsvangirai, and "will study the details of the agreement," a statement released in Brussels said.
The council will "pay close attention to its implementation, which will imply the immediate end to all forms of intimidation and violence" and will have to "allow to bring the reforms the people of Zimbabwe expect, including democratisation," the statement said.
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