A Southern African Development Community delegation is expected in Harare Tuesday for talks in a bid to avoid a collapse on the fragile Inclusive Government. Former South African President Thabo Mbeki, the broker of the Zanu PF-MDC unity deal, was meant to be present but has since asked to be
excused.
Minister of State in Prime Minister’s office Gordon Moyo confrimed the meetings. Moyo said ” Former president Mbeki was supposed to be jetted in but since his country is having elections Wednesday he has asked to be
excused. But the meetings are on”
He said they would tackle outstanding issues on the Global Political Agreement (GPA).
President Mugabe is today evening scheduled to meet Morgan Tsvangirai
and his deputy Arthur Mutambara, who is the leader of a smaller faction of the MDC for yet another crisis meeting meant to trash out outstanding issues on the GPA.
Pressure is mounting on the 85-year old leader to moderate his hard-line stance and allow the consummation of the unity government, key to desperately needed economic recovery.
The recent stripping by President Mugabe of certain functions of the
portfolio of Information Communication Technology Minister Nelson
Chamisa (MDC) is among the contentious issues to be broached by the
SADC meeting..
The meeting prompted by power struggles in the unity government and
a range of unresolved issues now deteriorating into open conflict is a litmus test for the coalition regime’s ability to weather the gathering storm.
Failure to resolve issues in dispute, analysts said, could leave the unity government further weakened and divided, signalling the beginning of an unravelling process which could eventually lead to collapse.
Information Communication Technology minister Nelson Chamisa is on record saying he is prepared to resign over the seizure of the department of telecommunications from his ministry.
But after meetings last week Chamisa is said to have now changed his stance and is prepared to compromise if his ministry was combined with Transport.
Chamisa is also said to be prepared to stay if only the administration of the Interception of Telecommunications Act was removed from his ministry, leaving the original portfolio as it was.
The fight over the telecoms department is fuelled by Mugabe and his allies’ need to administer the Interception of Telecommunications Act which enables government to intercept and record individual and corporate communications.
