Mugabe frustrates — Tsvangirai
Negotiating with President Robert Mugabe has been “the most frustrating experience” of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s life.
The PM says he however had no choice but to engage with the ageing leader in order to save the country from collapse.
Tsvangirai made this revelation at the World Economic Forum on Africa held in South Africa this week. The PM addressed the forum, telling delegates how “frustrating” it was to have to negotiate power with “somebody who lost an election”.
Tsvangirai’s comments come at a time when negotiators of the three parties to Zimbabwe’s Global Political Agreement (GPA) are locked in negotiations, in Cape Town, South Africa, to finalise an election roadmap expected to result in free and fair elections in the country.
“It is the most frustrating experience of my life to have to negotiate with somebody who lost an election, and then be forced to negotiate an arrangement where the loser comes in through the window in order to claim the same rights as somebody who has won,” Tsvangirai said.
“But I think that you reach a stage where, given the level of collapse, you may have to forego whether you have won or not and say what is
the best solution for the people?”
Zanu PF, MDC-T and the MDC formation now led by Welshman Ncube formed the inclusive government in 2009 after coming up with the GPA.
The government has however failed to operate smoothly because parties have resisted implementing provisions of the agreement.
Apparently frustrated with sharing power and the constant bickering, President Mugabe tried to push for an election this year, but was stopped in his tracks by his GPA partners and Sadc, who insisted that an election roadmap with clear signposts and time frames be put in place first. They all demand an indisputable election.
The negotiators have already agreed on most matters on the roadmap, but are still to agree on matters that include the staffing of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, deployment of monitors and State security sector reforms.
President Jacob Zuma, the Sadc-appointed mediator in Zimbabwe, is eager to have the roadmap finalised to enable Zimbabwe to have a free and fair election and sources say that was the thrust of this week’s negotiations in SA.
“This is why we are having this ‘workshop’ in South Africa,” our source said. “We want the negotiators to be able to negotiate with minimum pressure from their colleagues. The crisis in Zimbabwe has been going on for a long time and we are keen to ensure that it’s brought to an end through a credible election.
“The facilitation team is just assisting the negotiators but at the end of the day, Zimbabweans should own the roadmap and be able to respect it, because it is good for their country and the region at large.”
President Zuma’s international relations advisor Lindiwe Zulu, who is also one of the negotiators, confirmed yesterday negotiations were in progress but declined to divulge progress made.
She said the facilitation team and negotiators would only give statements at the end of the talks.
Tsvangirai made this revelation at the World Economic Forum on Africa held in South Africa this week. The PM addressed the forum, telling delegates how “frustrating” it was to have to negotiate power with “somebody who lost an election”.
Tsvangirai’s comments come at a time when negotiators of the three parties to Zimbabwe’s Global Political Agreement (GPA) are locked in negotiations, in Cape Town, South Africa, to finalise an election roadmap expected to result in free and fair elections in the country.
“It is the most frustrating experience of my life to have to negotiate with somebody who lost an election, and then be forced to negotiate an arrangement where the loser comes in through the window in order to claim the same rights as somebody who has won,” Tsvangirai said.
“But I think that you reach a stage where, given the level of collapse, you may have to forego whether you have won or not and say what is
the best solution for the people?”
Zanu PF, MDC-T and the MDC formation now led by Welshman Ncube formed the inclusive government in 2009 after coming up with the GPA.
The government has however failed to operate smoothly because parties have resisted implementing provisions of the agreement.
Apparently frustrated with sharing power and the constant bickering, President Mugabe tried to push for an election this year, but was stopped in his tracks by his GPA partners and Sadc, who insisted that an election roadmap with clear signposts and time frames be put in place first. They all demand an indisputable election.
The negotiators have already agreed on most matters on the roadmap, but are still to agree on matters that include the staffing of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, deployment of monitors and State security sector reforms.
President Jacob Zuma, the Sadc-appointed mediator in Zimbabwe, is eager to have the roadmap finalised to enable Zimbabwe to have a free and fair election and sources say that was the thrust of this week’s negotiations in SA.
“This is why we are having this ‘workshop’ in South Africa,” our source said. “We want the negotiators to be able to negotiate with minimum pressure from their colleagues. The crisis in Zimbabwe has been going on for a long time and we are keen to ensure that it’s brought to an end through a credible election.
“The facilitation team is just assisting the negotiators but at the end of the day, Zimbabweans should own the roadmap and be able to respect it, because it is good for their country and the region at large.”
President Zuma’s international relations advisor Lindiwe Zulu, who is also one of the negotiators, confirmed yesterday negotiations were in progress but declined to divulge progress made.
She said the facilitation team and negotiators would only give statements at the end of the talks.
