Harare, Zimbabwe-Twenty-eight days ago, on 15 September, Zimbabweans were jubilating, embracing, shaking hands in celebration of conquering political intolerance that had gripped the nation for almost a decade. Leaders of long time political rivals, Zanu PF, led by 84-year-old Robert Mugabe, Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), Morgan Tsvangirai and Professor Arthur Mutambara of the smaller MDC breakaway formation had reached a political settlement in a power sharing deal signed at Rainbow Towers Hotel in the capital Harare, amid pomp and fanfare. Some 28 days later,the same leaders who promised to work as a team are still to agree on the sharing of cabinet posts, in what many Zimbabweans view as a betrayal to the long bleeding economy. With inflation at 231 million percent and the political circus continuing, Zimbabwe is paying the heavy price in this political deadlock.
Only last Friday night, Zimabweans were shocked to learn of Mugabe's unilateral annoncement of cabinet, without consulting other principals to the ppower sharing agreement. Mugabe's unilateral allocation of cabinet posts to his Zanu PF party, saw him taking key ministries as Defence, Home affairs, Foreign affairs, Information, Justice and legal affairs, a move described by MDC leader, Tsvangirai as "not power sharing but power grabbing."
Addressing about 10,000 MDC supporters in the capital Harare yesterday, Tsvangirai said "not even an idiot would accept that." The MDC leader reiterated that the power sharing deal is not negotiable and said Zanu PF should share the cabinet posts in good faith. This is the first rally where Tsvangirai addressed his supporters without interruption in seven months.
"We had thought that they would be reasonable and equitable in power sharing. If you say all the ministries key are mine, we (in MDC) disagree. We signed this agreement because we believed in equality of parties," said Tsvangirai.
The impasse between the parties in the allocation of ministries has been over control of strategic ministries as Finance, Home affairs,Information, Foreign affairs and local government. MDC has reiterated that it is prepared to compromise on the defence ministry but that in return, it should control Home affairs, primarily on the basis that the party's leadership and supporters have been brutalised by the police, especially during the run-up to this year's March and June elections.
"Don't take any notice of it, Power sharing is non-negotiable. If Zanu PF takes defence, we take Home affairs. That is non-negotiable," Tsvangirain told his supporters.
Tsvangirai told his supporters that if Zanu PF continues with such an attitude then MDC would have no option but to pull out of the deal.
"If they (Zanu PF do it that way, we have no right to be part of such an arrangement.
'The people have suffered and if it means the suffering more to get what is at stake so be it. We will renegotiate until an agreement is reached but that does not mean we will compromise for the sake of it."
Movement for Democratic Change spokesperson, Nelson Chamisa, has been qouted in the media dismissing the list of ministries as an "act of madness" which threatens the successful implementation of the power sharing deal.
"The Herald (state controlled daily paper)-published list of ministries is a product of unilateral, contemptuous and outrageous machinations of Zanu PF. In fact, it is a giant act of madness which puts the whole deal into jeopardy.."
Mediator to the deal, former South African President Thabo Mbeki, is expected in Harare Monday to find a solution to the impasse.
The ministries allocated unilaterally by Mugabe are as follows:
Zanu PF
1. Defence
2. Home Affairs
3 . Foreign Affairs
4. Transport
5 . Local Government and Urban Development
6 . Mines and Mining Development
7. Lands, Agriculture and Resettlement
8. Environment, Natural Resources and Tourism
9. Higher and Tertiary Education
10. Small and Medium Enterprises and Co-operative Development
11. Justice and Legal Affairs
12 . Media, Information and Publicity
13. Women’s Affairs, Gender and Community Development
14. Youth Development, Indigenisation and Empowerment
MDC-Tsvangirai
1. Constitutional and Parliamentary Affairs
2. Economic Planning and Investment Promotion
3. Energy and Power Development
4. Health and Child Welfare
5. Labour and Social Welfare
6. Water Resources Development and Management
7 . Public Service
8. Sport, Arts and Culture
9. State Enterprise and Parastatals
10 . Science and Technology Development
11. Information Communication Technology
12. Public Works
13 . National Housing and Social Amenities
MDC-Mutambara
1. Regional Integration and International Co-operation
2. Education
3 . Industry and Commerce
NB: Finance not yet allocated
