Sources in ZANU PF told ZimOnline that the ruling party’s inner politburo cabinet met in Harare on Wednesday to receive a report from Mugabe on last weekend’s summit of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) leaders.
ZANU PF’s chief negotiator in talks with Tsvangirai’s MDC party Patrick Chinamasa briefed politburo members on progress in the dialogue and obstacles to a political settlement.
“We resolved that no further executive powers will be given to Tsvangirai,” said a member of the communist-style politburo, speaking strictly on condition he was not named.
“Members were adamant that what he has been offered is enough and the issue of President Mugabe maintaining his present executive powers is non-negotiable,” the politburo member said.
The ZANU PF official added that if Tsvangirai did not sign by Monday the power-sharing proposal that is on the table and that was endorsed by SADC leaders, then Mugabe and his party would proceed with our Plan B.
The ruling party official declined to go into the details of Plan B. However, there is widespread speculation in Harare political circles that Mugabe could turn to a breakaway faction of the MDC led by Arthur Mutambara in a desperate attempt to form a government that includes opposition elements.
Mutambara’s faction that is also a participant in power-sharing talks insists it has not entered any deal with Mugabe. But the faction says it is agreeable to the deal on the table that proposes Mugabe retains his executive powers while Tsvangirai becomes virtually a ceremonial a prime minister without power to hire or fire ministers or to chair Cabinet.
Tsvangirai would be officially designated deputy chairman of Cabinet under the proposed deal that however is silent on who between the MDC leader and an acting president would chair Cabinet in the absence of Mugabe.
Mugabe has two deputies who take turns to perform presidential duties including chairing Cabinet when he is on leave or out of the country.
ZANU PF deputy spokesman Ephraim Masawi confirmed the politburo received reports on the Johannesburg SADC summit and the power-sharing talks but refused to disclose details because politburo discussions are confidential.
Masawi said: “We were informed the SADC supports us in the deal, including Botswana. I can’t give you full details on the talks but we were fully briefed.”
Disagreement between Mugabe and Tsvangirai over who between them should control the power-sharing government has stalled a political settlement that only a few weeks ago seemed within reach after the two rivals agreed for the first time in nearly 10 years to sit at the same table to negotiate.
Mugabe insists on keeping his wide-ranging powers mostly intact while Tsvangirai says he will take up the position of prime minister only if it comes with full executive authority.
In a sign he may be losing patience with the stalled talks, Mugabe plans to convene Parliament on Monday and officially open the House the following day. He has not indicated whether he would proceed to name a new Cabinet to run the country.
The Zimbabwean leader had delayed convening Parliament or forming a new Cabinet to give talks a chance.
Tsvangirai told journalists in Nairobi on Thursday that plans to open Parliament would violate a memorandum of understating (MOU) on talks, labeling the move a repudiation of the MOU.
Tsvangirai’s secretary general Tendai Biti was more direct, telling journalists in Harare: “If you convene Parliament, you are closing the door to negotiations.”
However Biti said the MDC, which holds 100 seats against ZANU PF’s 99 in the key lower chamber of Parliament, would attend the swearing-in of new members of parliament on Monday.
“We are going to parliament to defend our mandate. Our problem is with the convening of parliament – not the swearing-in of members,” he said.
Mutambara’s faction with 10 seats holds the balance of power in the House of Assembly enabling whoever it backs to enjoy controlling majority in the important chamber.
A government of national unity is seen as the best way to end Zimbabwe’s crisis that is marked by the world’s highest inflation of more than 11 million percent, severe shortages of food, jobs, foreign currency and deepening poverty.
Western nations, whose financial aid is vital to any effort to revive Zimbabwe’s economy, have said they will support such a unity government only if its executive head is Tsvangirai. – ZimOnline