Mutambara, Mugabe and Tsvangirai
THE three principals, the leaders of the Parliamentary parties to the Global Political Agreement, are expected to meet in Harare today to review progress made so far despite failure by the negotiators to prepare the comprehensive report their leaders were supposed to discuss.
The principals are set to discuss the remaining issues impeding the full implementation of the GPA.
The only report available is the one sent to the South African facilitators.
President Mugabe, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangi-rai and Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara are, however, expected to meet today as principals to the GPA. They usually meet on Mondays.
One of the negotiators, Cde Nicholas Goche of Zanu-PF, yesterday said the team failed to meet to draw up a final report since some negotiators were out of the country on Government business.
“We have prepared a report that was sent to the facilitators; they now have the document. We could not, however, meet to prepare another document for our principals because other negotiators were not available,” said Cde Goche, who is also Transport, Communication and Infrastructural Development Minister.
He could not be drawn into commenting on what effect the absence of the comprehensive report would have on the meeting of the principals today.
“I wouldn’t know really, but we will soon meet as negotiators for that purpose,” said Cde Goche.
Cde Goche and Justice and Legal Affairs Minister Patrick Chinamasa are the Zanu-PF negotiators.
MDC-T is represented by its secretary- general, Mr Tendai Biti, who is also Finance Minister, together with the party’s deputy treasurer-general, Mr Elton Mangoma, who is also Economic Development and Investment Promotion Minister.
MDC is represented by its secretary-general Professor Welshman Ncube, who is also Industry and Commerce Minister, and the party’s deputy secretary-general, Mrs Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga, who is also Minister for Regional Integration and Interna-tional Co-operation.
MDC-T spokesman Mr Nelson Chamisa confirmed that Mr Tsvangirai would be attending today’s meeting.
“We expect our leader to meet his two colleagues as principals tomorrow (today) to assess and ascertain stages and implementation of the GPA. If there is a deadlock, we expect them to come up with ways to unlock it. If there is progress, we also expect them to come up with ways to consolidate it,” said Mr Chamisa, who is also Minister of Information Communication Technology.
“Indeed, negotiators were not able to meet because of circumstances beyond their control, which we really understood and accepted,” he said.
MDC spokesman Mr Edwin Mushoriwa confirmed
the meeting of principals, but could not drawn into divulging more details.
“Yes, our principals will be meeting, but I cannot comment much because of the confidentiality that has been characterising the discussions all along,” he said.
Today’s meeting follows the last meeting a week ago at which they reviewed recommendations made by the negotiating teams and also to consider the names of candidates recommended to them by Parliament’s Standing Rules and Orders Committee to serve on independent commissions that were set up.
Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Dr Misheck Sibanda last week said that in their meeting, the principals noted that the negotiators had made remarkable progress in addressing outstanding issues in the implementation of the GPA.
The commissions are the Zimbabwe Media Commission, Zimbabwe Electoral Commission and the Human Rights Commission.
With regard to appointment of the commissioners, said Dr Sibanda, the three principals agreed with most of the recommendations of the SROC except for a few appointees, where consultations on the individuals concerned were taking place adding that an announcement would be made soon.
The directive by principals for negotiators to convene a meeting followed a series of meetings by the negotiators in the past weeks in their quest to iron out their differences in the implementation of the GPA.
The meetings were directed by the Sadc Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Co-operation when they met in Mozambique recently to review progress made in the implementation of the GPA.
South African President Jacob Zuma also sent a three-member facilitation team early this month to check on progress made in the implementation of outstanding GPA issues.
(herald)
