Harare, March 13, 2010 – SOUTH African President Jacob Zuma’s facilitation team is scheduled to jet into Harare on Sunday to prepare for their principals visit two days later, on March 16 in an attempt to break the political logjam, which might see the confirmation of a date for fresh elections.

Impeccable sources confirmed on Saturday that Zuma’s three member facilitation team of Lindiwe Zulu, Charles Nqakula and Mac Maharaj will arrive in Harare on Sunday and immediately hold meetings with the three negotiating teams from Zanu PF and the two Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) formations.

On Monday, the three principals in the inclusive government – President Robert Mugabe, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and his deputy Arthur Mutambara will also meet to come up with a common position to be presented to Zuma the following day. Coming up with a common position, said sources, is however likely to be a mammoth task in the light of current disputes around the stripping of powers of some MDC ministers, and the unilateral implementation of indigenisation regulations.

The South African leader is however still expected to hold separate meetings with each of the party leaders.

“Since it is obvious there is no movement towards resolution of the issues that have caused a deadlock, President Zuma wants to impress upon the parties that they should shelve some of the issues and prepare for the holding of elections next year,” said a source close to the proceedings.

According to the source, Zuma will also encourage the parties to speed up the writing of a new constitution and hold elections next year.

“The facilitators will kick start the process with a meeting with the negotiators, and come up with a briefing paper to be presented to Zuma. This position will then guide his engagement with the three principals. But the general feeling is that these talks should be concluded and elections held, as stipulated in the global political agreement (GPA),” added the source.

Also to feature prominently on the agenda, said the source, is Mugabe’s recent stripping of MDC ministers of their powers, leaving some of them with no Acts of Parliament to administer. Among those affected is the party’s spokesperson, Nelson Chamisa who saw all his powers as Information Communication Technology Minister Nelson Chamisa being allocated to ZANU PF’s Nicholas Goche, while another Act under his administration, the Interception of Communications Act, was allocated to the President’s Office.

Other MDC ministers left with no Acts administer are Science and Technology Development Minister, Heneri Dzinotyiwei, Regional Integration and International Co-operation Minister, Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga, State Enterprises and Parastatals Minister, Gabuza Joel Gabbuza.