The power sharing agreement in Zimbabwe is supposed to be a marriage of equals. Zanu (PF) went into the agreement assuming they were in control; the remarks of Chinamasa that a wife cannot go calling mediators at the first sign of a fight allow us an insight into the regime’s thinking.
Mbeki holds the same beliefs as Zanu (PF); how else can you explain his mediation position, mostly aimed at persuading MDC to accept what is on offer in the hope of consolidating their gains? Mbeki’s position in the last round of talks, as leaked to the press, has dispelled all suspicion that he is a fly in the soup of a genuine power-sharing deal.
In his proposal, he deliberately avoids Ministries MDC has already kind of ceded’ as not too critical in their quest to revive Zimbabwe and he ignores the fact that Defence, Information & Publicity and Foreign Affairs are also ministries in dispute which MDC may be prepared to forgo if they got Finance and Home Affairs. Mbeki proposes the sharing of the Home Affairs ministry, ignoring the fact that Defence already belongs to Zanu (PF).
MDC may have deliberately opted out of the discussions in Swaziland, hiding behind the passport façade because they believed the Troika and SA would gang up on them to accept Mbeki’s lame proposals. That would explain Biti’s call for a full SADC summit.
For the same reason, they may wish to boycott the October 27 Troika meeting in Harare.
If SADC and AU leaders believe this marriage can work, they should take the bull, RG Mugabe, by the horns and explain to him what they meant by a 50-50 power sharing arrangement. They should then help the two leaders divide the security ministries, the natural resources ministries, the industry & finance ministries and the rest, equally.
There can be a moratorium on political prosecutions for the duration of the marriage, the next government after that can decide what to do. A lot will depend on the goodwill displayed during the inclusive partnership.
If SADC and AU leaders know that power sharing will not work, they must organise a rematch for these political foes in a winner takes all contest that they referee and supervise. Mugabe must be given these options. We need strong leadership in Africa.
If it were it not for Samora Machel who took a hard stance against the Patriotic Front, they would have refused the Lancaster House Agreement.
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