Financial Gazette (Harare)
Nelson Chenga and Partson Matsikidze
20 September 2008
Harare — PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe - who had been getting impatient over delays in constituting a new Cabinet following disagreements during the power-sharing negotiations that ended with a deal on Monday - has been forced to delay appointing his Cabinet to allow for wider consultations as it emerged that his lieutenants in ZANU-PF are split right through the middle on the issue.
ZANU-PF insiders said a tense meeting of the party's supreme decision-making body, the Politburo, held on Tuesday resolved that the veteran Zimbabwean leader should first exhaust consultations within and outside the party before announcing members of his Cabinet.
Debate on the issue again featured prominently at the party's Central Committee meeting held in the capital yesterday, although one of ZANU-PF's chief negotiators during the inter-party talks, Patrick Chinamasa, played down the discussions.
Chinamasa told reporters in Harare yesterday that the Central Committee and Politburo had both "endorsed the power sharing agreement and have done so unanimously".
He said the Committee, the policy-making organ of the party, had however, raised concern over the rowdy behaviour of Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) legislators during the opening of parliament and skirmishes between ZANU-PF and MDC supporters outside the Rainbow Towers, the venue of the signing ceremony of the historic power-sharing arrangement.
"The concerns are that if this pattern continues it will naturally jeopardise the relationship, it will poison the environment in which we are going to operate," said Chinamasa.
A new Cabinet is now expected to be announced on President Mugabe's return from New York where he will be attending a United Nations General Assembly meeting tomorrow.
However, President Mugabe, Prime Minister-designate Morgan Tsvangirai and his deputy, Arthur Mutambara are expected to meet today to discuss the sharing of the 31 ministerial posts in the new government.
But the meeting is expected to be heated, as the MDC has since indicated that there are some "sticking points" regarding key ministries of Defence and Infor-mation.
"We had wanted the Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Information but ZANU-PF made it clear they also wanted those ministries," MDC spokesman, Nelson Chamisa was quoted elsewhere as having said.
For the first time Cabinet would be dominated by Ministers from the two factions of the MDC, which also wrested control of the lower house of Parliament following its victory in the March 29 harmonised elections when it amassed a total of 110 seats against ZANU-PF's 97.
The MDC's dominance means that President Mugabe - who has accepted to share power with Tsvangirai - will have to drop a significant number of his trusted associates from Cabinet, to make way for MDC appointees, in line with the power-sharing agreement signed on Monday.
The deal, reached after weeks of intense negotiations brokered by South African President Thabo Mbeki, provides for 31 ministers - 15 from ZANU-PF, 13 from Tsvangirai's main faction of the MDC and three from the smaller faction of the MDC led by former university student leader, Mutambara.
Allotting those posts will mean pushing out President Mugabe loyalists, a scenario that might create friction within ZANU-PF.
Sources said the only heavyweights assured of their positions in Cabinet are Vice-President Joseph Msika - courtesy of the 1987 Unity Accord signed between ZAPU and ZANU-PF - Vice President Joice Mujuru and President Mugabe himself.
The rest of the ZANU-PF heavyweights, including influential figures such as Rural Housing Minister, Emmerson Mnangagwa; Security and Lands Minister, Didymus Mutasa and Defence Minister, Sydney Sekeramayi, face an uncertain future unless they are rescued by President Mugabe from political oblivion.
"President Mugabe, Msika and Mujuru are the only ZANU-PF members who will be senior to Tsvangirai in the refreshed government but the rest are now junior to the MDC leader," said a ZANU-PF insider. "It is this reality that the political careers of most of the bigwigs has been cut abruptly that is hard to swallow for most of the bigwigs. President Mugabe has decided to delay the appointments in order to give it more time to sink in. Do you think any ambitious ZANU-PF member would be in a rush to be told what to do by Tsvangirai? This process is also good for Tsvangirai because he has to work with people who are ready to accept him," added the source.
What is worsening the uncertainty in ZANU-PF circles is that the President has not hidden his disappointment over the poor performance of the out-going Cabinet.
He was quoted saying recently: "This Cabinet that I had was the worst in history. They look at themselves. They are unreliable, but not all of them."
The Financial Gazette heard this week that President Mugabe was likely to fuse into the new team a mixture of experience and young turks.
Without allocating individuals to specific ministries, the sources said those who were likely to make it into Cabinet from ZANU-PF's side include Saviour Kasukuwere, Nicholas Goche, Olivia Muchena, Webster Shamu, Walter Muzembi, Sekeramayi, Mnangagwa, Advocate Martin Dinha, Ignatius Chombo, Kembo Mohadi and Stan Mudenge.
Analysts said Cabinet should comprise people of impeccable character, people who have not been tainted by allegations of corruption or violence.
Eldred Masunungure, a political analyst at the University of Zimbabwe said the success of the power-sharing agreement would be premised on cohesion within Cabinet and the total commitment of its members to resolving the multifaceted economic crisis.
"They should work closely together to get rid of the politics of mistrust and outmanoeuvring each other. The future and sustainability of the deal will heavily depend on good faith," Masunungure said.
John Makumbe, a sharp critic of President Mugabe's government, said he now sees light at the end of the tunnel after nine years of a recession, but quickly expressed caution.
Both Makumbe and Masunungure agreed that the new Cabinet should comprise men and women of integrity who are ready to serve the people.
Masunungure said the calibre of members of Cabinet will influence the attitude of donors and investors who are currently sitting on the fence despite the signing of the power-sharing agreement.
"Who is in Cabinet? Are they not accused of human rights abuses and corruption as the donors would rather want to see them at The Hague than in government?" Masunungure asked.
"If no extra care is taken to appoint clean, competent and effective persons who can deliver, donors will stand aloof and withdraw from assisting the new government in its efforts to deliver.
"If that is not done, the whole thing will just collapse before it flies and that will be disastrous for Zimba-bweans," he added.
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The talks should have clearly noted that ZanuPF could no longer control any of the economic ministries because quite obviously the state of the economy proves that they have failed and others must take over. If they do not appreciate that they are too selfish and power hungry to deserve the title of "national leaders".
It's outrageous that Mugabe and his goons are allowed to enter the U.S. for this UN general assembly meeting. All efforts should be made to ban him and his entourage from entering. This would really bring home the message to get on with the power sharing procedings and stop stalling.
Look, the scavangers and parasites in ZANU-PF are fighting for cabinet positions: To them, it's not about Zimbabwe but their own selfish personal interest. What a pitty. All these idiot political butchers from ZANU-PF should be swept aside to give way to a new breed of untainted trustworthy and young ernegetic politicians with integrity and new ideas to help move Zimbabwe forward. The older ZANU-PF political butchers and economic wreckers are tainted beyond redemption. They have nothing good to over.
Fresh Couragious politicians with new ideas should be given chance to revive Zimbabwe socially, politically, economically and spiritually. Self centered… [Read Full Text]
How much more lunatic could Mugabe be? He decides to travel to New York while leaving behind a rotten mess - he will no doubt be the laughing stock of the international investment community! How ridiculous? What a negative publicity for Zimbabwe's dictator!!