They said Mbeki could arrive in Harare as early as Thursday to facilitate a
meeting between Mugabe and Tsvangirai to conclude a deal reached by ruling
ZANU PF party and MDC negotiators currently in Pretoria, South Africa.
The sources, who spoke on condition they were not named, said negotiators
have come up with two power-sharing proposals that will be put before Mugabe
and Tsvangirai.
Mbeki was in Zimbabwe last week where he reportedly told Mugabe not to
insist on remaining an executive president if a pact was to be reached with
both formations of the MDC.
“The two proposals outline how ZANU PF and MDC should share power,” one of
the diplomats told ZimOnline. “It would be up to Mugabe and Tsvangirai to
decide which of the two proposals they prefer.”
ZANU PF and MDC officials resumed talks last Sunday that had been called off
a week ago apparently after hitting deadlock over what posts Mugabe and
Tsvangirai would take in the government of national unity.
But Mbeki denied talks had hit deadlock and instead said the dialogue was
still firmly on track and negotiators had only returned to Zimbabwe to
consult their principals on the ground covered so far.
“The talks have reached a level where the principals have to meet face to
face and decide the course to take,” the diplomat said. “Once they reach a
deal, the agreement would be forwarded to legal experts to come up with
legal niceties of the pact.”
Talks had been initially scheduled to end on August 4 but the deadline was
moved following last week’s break.
According to the sources one of the power-sharing proposals was that
Tsvangirai becomes executive prime minister, while Mugabe remains president.
There would be at least two or three vice-presidents and two deputy prime
ministers drawn from the three negotiating parties.
The sources said this structure was designed to accommodate Mugabe’s present
vice-presidents Joseph Msika and Joyce Mujuru in addition to other top
officials of the negotiating parties such as MDC second-in-command Thokozani
Khupe and Emmerson Mnangagwa, a hawkish Mugabe’s loyalist, who would become
deputy prime ministers.
The other alternative, the sources said, proposes Mugabe staying at the top
with Msika, Mujuru and Khupe as vice-presidents.
Tsvangirai would become prime minister with the other leader of the MDC
faction Arthur Mutambara and ZANU PF chairman John Nkomo as deputy prime
ministers.
Apart from that the parties, the sources said, had also reached agreement on
how to share 20 cabinet positions.
“The negotiators at the talks are now deliberating on the outstanding issues
of their agenda, among them, how to deal with perpetrators of political
violence and the land question,” another diplomat said. “The talks are
likely to end successfully by this weekend.”
Yesterday, the MDC acting spokesperson Tapiwa Mashakada declined to comment
on the latest developments, but insisted the talks were progressing well.
“The talks are on going and indications are that they are smooth,” Mashakada
said. “We cannot give details on what has been achieved or not achieved.”
Government deputy information minister Bright Matonga also refused to
comment on the talks or confirm whether or not Mbeki would jet into Zimbabwe
on Thursday. “I am not at liberty to speak on those issues,” he said.
The two power-sharing proposals, the sources said, were hammered out after
the three parties expanded their negotiators.
Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Patrick Chinamasa and
Public Service Minister Nicholas Goche represent ZANU PF at the talks.
The pair has since been joined by ZANU PF national chairman John Nkomo,
Defence Minister Sydney Sekeramayi and Higher Education Minister Stan
Mudenge. All are members of the ruling party’s inner politburo cabinet.
Secretary-general Tendai Biti and deputy national treasurer Elton Mangoma
are representing the Tsvangirai-led MDC. The additional members are the
party’s national chairman Lovemore Moyo and women’s assembly chairperson
Theresa Makone.
Secretary general Welshman Ncube and his deputy Priscilla
Misihairabwi-Mushonga represent the Mutambara-led MDC. Two other senior
party officials Moses Mzila-Ndlovu and Miriam Mushayi are the back-up
team. – ZimOnline.