PRIME Minister Morgan Tsvangirai is expected to come face-to-face with security chiefs in two weeks’ time when the National Security Council (NSC) meets for the first time in five months to review the security situation in the country ahead of elections.
Report by Everson Mushava
The NSC comprises of President Robert Mugabe, Vice-President Joice Mujuru, Tsvangirai and security service chiefs, who include Zimbabwe Defence Forces Commander General Constantine Chiwenga, Police Commissioner-General AugustineChihuri and Zimbabwe Prison Service Commissioner-General Paradzai Zimondi.
Other members of the council include Deputy Prime Ministers Arthur Mutambara and Thokozani Khupe, Defence minister Emmerson Mnangagwa, National Security minister Sydney Sekeramayi, Home Affairs co-ministers Kembo Mohadi and Theresa Makone and Finance minister Tendai Biti.
The meeting comes at a time when securocrats have been attacking Tsvangirai, describing him as “a sellout and malcontent”. They have also vowed not to recognise him as leader of the country even were he to win elections.
Tsvangirai’s spokesperson Luke Tamborinyoka yesterday said the principals had agreed at their Monday meeting this week that the NSC should hold regular meetings beginning early next month. Mugabe and Tsvangirai reportedly agreed that a meeting should be convened soon to check on the security situation in the country ahead of elections, necessitating the convening of the NSC.
“As you know we are heading for elections, the meeting will definitely focus on various issues including the security situation in the country,” said Tamborinyoka.
But Tamborinyoka said the Monday meeting, which also looked at the national implementation mechanism for the Joint Monitoring and Implementation Committee (Jomic), did not set the exact date for the meeting.
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He said judging from patterns of previous meetings where the NSC convened at the beginning of the month, the meeting was likely to be held early in June.
Presidential spokesperson George Charamba could not be reached for comment until the time of going to print last night.
The NSC has not met for the past five months, although the Global Political Agreement requires that the body — established to lead security sector reforms at the consummation of the inclusive government — meets every month.
The last time the NSC convened was in December last year, after another five months without a single meeting.
In an exclusive interview with NewsDay last week, Tsvangirai said the NSC could not meet because each time they were supposed to convene, either himself or Mugabe would not be available.
Tsvangirai has been calling for security sector realignment, a move vehemently resisted by Zanu PF, which analysts say has benefited immensely from the support of the uniformed forces.
Analysts have, however, described the NSC meetings as of little significance since the council has no capacity to change the conduct of the securocrats, who reportedly hold more serious meetings privately with Mugabe.
