PRIME Minister Morgan Tsvangirai yesterday embarked on a diplomatic offensive in Sadc to mobilise regional support to press President Robert Mugabe and his Zanu PF party to implement critical reforms before elections later this year.
Newsday Editorial
Speaking to journalists in the capital last Thursday, Tsvangirai said Mugabe and Zanu PF were not keen to fully consummate the Global Political Agreement (GPA) which resulted in the inception of the inclusive government. Under the GPA, the government of national unity partners agreed to embark on legislative, security and media reforms to level the playing field ahead of general elections.
“I will be visiting players within Sadc and the AU (African Union) to ensure that the people of Zimbabwe are guaranteed a free and fair election that will usher in a new dispensation,” Tsvangirai said. “The visit is scheduled for this coming week and I will be visiting a number of heads of State and government updating them on preparedness for elections and the problems we are facing, especially on implementation, because they are stakeholders.”
While Sadc and the AU are the guarantors of the GPA, we feel strongly that Tsvangirai should not continue to farm out the problems in the inclusive government. He has previously approached Sadc for intervention with little success.
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The Premier has to tackle Mugabe head-on. He needs critical mass to confront Mugabe and ensure that the veteran leader implements the agreed reforms. Tsvangirai should use his Monday meetings with Mugabe and Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara to lobby and convince the President to implement the reforms.
We agree with the Premier that “there shall be no elections before reforms are implemented”. We don’t want another sham poll like we witnessed in June 2008.
The Premier has to be strategic in confronting Mugabe on the implementation of agreed reforms. Outsourcing our problems won’t work now or in the future.
Tsvangirai and the MDC formations have to remain steadfast on the demand for reforms for the good of the nation.
The reforms are captured in the GPA and these are: the completion of the constitution-making process and the referendum; the completion of the drafting of a new voters’ roll; the completion of media reform; the completion of legislative reform; the conclusion of outstanding issues at the dialogue table on security sector realignment and staffing of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission; the compliance by Zimbabwe with the Sadc electoral guidelines on free and fair elections; the putting in place of mechanisms to ensure that violence will not be a factor in the said election.
Without these reforms, any election in Zimbabwe will be hollow and unacceptable to the electorate, the region and international community. Tsvangirai needs to confront Mugabe — now!
