SADC pushes for deal in Zimbabwe
Michael Appel
27 January 2009
Southern African Development Community (SADC) leaders have given Zimbabwe's political leaders until 5 February to pass Constitutional Amendment 19, which would pave the way for an inclusive government to start rebuilding the country.
The constitutional amendment provides for the creation of the post of prime minister and deputy prime minister for Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) faction leaders Morgan Tsvangirai and Arthur Mutambara respectively.
Addressing local and international media in Pretoria early on Tuesday morning after over 12 hours around the negotiation table, SADC Executive Secretary Tomaz Salomao said the people of Zimbabwe were faced with very difficult challenges that required an inclusive government.
The extraordinary summit of the SADC had decided that "the parties shall endeavour to cause Parliament to pass the Constitutional Amendment 19 by 5 February 2009," Salomao said.
"The prime minister and deputy ministers shall be sworn in by 11 February 2009. The minister and deputy minister shall be sworn in on 13 February 2009, which will conclude the process of the formation of the inclusive government."
Home affairs portfolio 'to be shared'
Salomao said the regional organisation had again endorsed a previous decision for the co-sharing of Zimbabwe's home affairs portfolio by the MDC and the ruling Zanu-PF party, which would then be reviewed six months after an inclusive government was formed.
The appointment of Zimbabwe's Reserve Bank governor and Attorney-General would also be dealt with after the inclusive government's formation, Salomao said.
South African President Kgalema Motlanthe, the current SADC chairman, told journalists that the mood during the negotiations was one of great urgency and seriousness aimed at a breaking the political deadlock.
SADC facilitator and former SA president Thabo Mbeki joked with journalists as to why they were still awake so early in the morning, going on to say that the summit continued for such a long time due to questions and recommendations to the SADC secretariat by member states.
A report detailing what has happened in Zimbabwe's political landscape since the last extraordinary SADC summit on 9 November 2008 was given to SADC members at Monday's summit, Mbeki said.
Tsvangirai not at press briefing
Not present at the media briefing following the marathon talks was the leader of the bigger MDC faction, Morgan Tsvangirai.
At the previous SADC summit, held in Johannesburg, Tsvangirai lambasted the SADC leadership for their inability to bring about a resolution to the political crisis in Zimbabwe.
Motlanthe said Tsvangirai had again, as at the previous SADC summit, refused to co-manage the home affairs portfolio with Zanu-PF.
The SADC secretariat had, however, again decided that the home affairs portfolio would be co-managed by the two parties and then reviewed after six months of an inclusive government having been formed, Motlanthe said.
'We cannot continue talking, talking, talking'
On Monday, Motlanthe told the summit that the time for talking was over and that a resolution to the Zimbabwe political crisis had to be found.
"We cannot continue talking, talking, talking without concretely proceeding to the implementation stage," Motlanthe said.
"The convening, once again, of an extraordinary SADC summit demonstrates our collective recognition of our responsibility, concern and empathy concerning the deteriorating political, economic and social situation in the sister country of Zimbabwe.
Zimbabwe, once an important exporter of food to the rest of Africa, was now a net importer of food and recipient of food aid, the President noted.
The conditions in Zimbabwe, however, were not only a Zimbabwean challenge, but a challenge linked to the reputation of the regional economic community, the SADC, and Africa at large, he said.
SADC heads of state present at the summit included Botswana President Ian Khama, Mozambican President Armando Guebuza, Namibian President Hifikepunye Pohamba, Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete and Zambian President Rupiah Banda.
Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe as well as Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) faction leader and Prime Minister designate Morgan Tsvangirai were also present.
Source: BuaNews
