Negotiators break off talks, without breakthrough
By Tichaona Sibanda
8 December 2009
Two weeks of negotiations between ZANU PF and the MDC broke off on Monday without evident progress, amid signs of increasing frustration over the lack of success in efforts to resolve outstanding issues in the Global Political Agreement.
Attempts to reach a deal have repeatedly snagged over whether Robert Mugabe will agree to rescind the unilateral appointments of Gideon Gono and Johannes Tomana as Reserve Bank Governor and Attorney General. Analysts say that doing so ahead of his party’ congress that begins in Harare on Wednesday, would have been viewed by hardliners in ZANU PF as capitulation.
Mugabe appointed the two without consultation with the other two principals in the inclusive government, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara.
He extended Gono’s term at the RBZ in November last year but the GPA says that all senior government appointments are to be made only after agreement between the three principals. Mugabe has however resolutely rebuffed calls to dismiss Gono and Tomana and the issue remains the most contentious in the talks.
Our Harare correspondent Simon Muchemwa told us the talks have been temporarily stopped to allow negotiators from ZANU PF to attend their party congress. Negotiators from the Mutambara camp will also be traveling outside the country this week.
‘Although Chinamasa was on state television last night (Monday) saying they’ve handed over a report to their principals and the South African facilitation team, I don’t think we’ve seen an end to these talks,’ Muchemwa said.
‘There are reports the negotiators agreed on a number of issues but these are less issues compared to the Gono and Tomana demands from the MDC,’ Muchemwa added.
There have been no leaks from the negotiating teams except vague suggestions that the parties are close to reaching an agreement on some minor issues, but none of the key ones.
The negotiators also briefed a South African facilitation team that was in the country on Monday. The team, led by ANC stalwarts Charles Nqakula and Mac Maharaj, and President Jacob Zuma’s international relations advisor Lindiwe Zulu, were handed a report on the current state of talks by the negotiators. The team returned to South Africa on Tuesday.
In Pretoria they are expected to brief President Zuma on the talks as well as present him with a report, which he will forward to President Armando Guebuza of Mozambique, the current chairman of the SADC Troika. It is believed Guebuza will then decide whether to call for another Troika summit or a full SADC summit to discuss the outstanding issues holding back the inclusive government.
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SW Radio Africa
Posted by Raymond Mhaka
on December 8, 2009. Filed under Main Headline.
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