Published by the government of Zimbabwe
Mabasa Sasa and Sydney Kawadza
28 October 2008
Harare — THE Sadc Organ on Politics, Defence and Security has recommended that talks over the allocation of Cabinet posts be referred to a full summit of regional Heads of State and Government after Zimbabwe's three main political parties failed to agree on the allocation of the Home Affairs ministry.
The Troika meeting, which ended in the early hours of this morning, concurred with Zanu-PF's position that the ministry be co-shared between the ruling party and MDC-T. Presenting the communiqué, Sadc executive secretary Dr Tomaz Salomao said: "The extraordinary summit, however, noted the progress made so far regarding allocation of ministries and that there is convergence between the parties with respect to co-operative management of the Ministry of Home Affairs.
"The summit therefore strongly encourages the parties to pursue this option."
MDC-T has demanded that it gets sole control of the portfolio with Zanu-PF contending that co-sharing is the best way forward.
The other opposition party in the talks, MDC, also favours co-sharing.
The summit, which began just before midday yesterday and was chaired by Mozambican President Cde Armando Guebuza, also called on the parties to "genuinely commit themselves to finding a lasting solution to the current deadlock".
Swaziland currently chairs the Troika but King Mswati III could not attend the meeting and delegated his Prime Minister Sibusiso Dlamini to attend.
The other member of the Organ is Angola, which was represented by Foreign Affairs Minister Mr Assuncao dos Anjos.
Also present at the meeting was South African President Cde Kgalema Montlanthe, who attended in his capacity as Sadc chair.
Former South African leader Cde Thabo Mbeki is facilitating the talks after Sadc appointed him to do so last year.
The African Union subsequently endorsed his facilitation.
The communiqué also reaffirmed its faith in Cde Mbeki's mediation efforts.
Dr Salomao, however, told the media that they were confident that the full summit of regional leaders would be able to assist in finalising the matter.
He said there were a number of options that could be pursued in seeking to deal with the Ministry of Home Affairs.
These included the co-sharing as suggested in the communiqué or a rotational system where Zanu-PF and MDC-T would take turns to run the brief.
Dr Salomao also revealed that the Troika had discussed the issue of who would appoint the minister between President Mugabe and MDC-T leader Mr Morgan Tsvangirai.
"The only outstanding issue is that of Home Affairs. No fresh issues were brought up.
"We are confident that this issue will be finalised. Other issues remain to be resolved but these will only come afterwards," he said.
These issues, Dr Salomao said, included Constitutional Amendment Number 19, which would give legal effect to the agreement, and the distribution of gubernatorial seats in the country's 10 administrative provinces.
He stressed that neither the Organ on Defence, Politics and Security nor the full body can impose a solution but can only make recommendations.
"The extraordinary summit of the Organ recommended the holding of the full Sadc Summit to further review the current political situation in Zimbabwe as a matter of urgency.
"The extraordinary Summit of the Organ Troika will continuously remain seized with the ongoing political situation in the Republic of Zimbabwe," Dr Salomao said as he presented the communiqué.
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Why even bother reading the Herald? Theres so many lies in it that you never know what is lies and what are truths...
The big title ought to have been "Tsvangirai again derails Mugabe's plan to control the Police!". Mugabe is indeed going down the drain. His days are counted anyway. SADC leaders will soon give him marching orders or else he will have to run far away from the motherland to seek exile in face of a mass uprising to get his skin!
Either Home Affairs to the MDC or no GNU!
Monster Mugabe of the rotten banana republic has no way to survive on his own!
Prem, So thats what you are banking on - mass uprising? I see. No wonder why the procastination. All along I never thought you would say that publicly because this is exactly the plan and assessment that McGee gave to sellout Tsvangi.
The fool was told that by December, the govt will have fallen and foolishly the retarded idiot believed that. You and Tsvangirai need to be shaken to wake up from your deep sleep otherwise you may die in your sleep and if you are luck to wake up alife you will only realise when we are already in… [Read Full Text]
HIV Tainted food eh. My god there are some stupid people in this world. Does anyone even take Takunya, Mr Mugabe is the most democratic leader in Africa, seriously? I doubt it very much. You tell one silly story you look like an idiot. You tell 100, well, take a look at Takunya.
Hi awt,
I really do admire the way you respond to takunya's writing. However, I think you're wasting your time! Talking to people of this kind is like talking to a mosquito sitting on your left arm in bright daylight. People are dying now in Zimbabwe due to malnutrition, cholera etc. No more time to waste by talking! And to t. and friends: NYARAI
"HIV tainted GMO food." i Think you mean GM food you idiot and as for the HIV comment which makes no sense because Aids came fro, Africa. You Idiot!
Some people are as dumb as two bricks rubbed together, but takunya_ndebvu is more like a pallet of bricks rubbing together.
Takunya, without western aid Zimbabweans would starve severely. Zimbabweans are now facing a desparete situation in terms of human relief. Face the Facts Takunya, Zimbabweans are dying everyday because of Robert Mugabe. This has nothing to do with the western world.
A number of western NGO have offered to help and come to Zimbabwe. It is always our own government that is slowly bleeding us to death! Takunya, lets now focus on bread and butter issues in Zimbabwe. Unless of cause you are one of a relative of Mugabe or his ministers, who are busy involved in criminal activities and… [Read Full Text]
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2nd Round and Morgans' scored another points decision.All Zanu has to do is make a deal with Morgan to give a "Nelson Mandela" type forgiving of ones enemy and the courage to dream of a new united future idea...Then hand over Home Affairs so as all the mindless violence and intimidation can stop and things can grow, maybe! Anyhow Stupid Herald!