Do you think the unity agreement will work?
We now have the full text of the unity agreement. Are there any areas in this agreement that cause you concern? Which parts are you most relieved to see included? Is there anything missing? What are you surprised to see? Above all, do you think it will work? We’d love to hear your views.
September 16th, 2008 12:10
I think we need to wait and see if it will work.
Why is everyone all of sudden believing that Mugabe will fall into line and do what needs to be done?
In nearly thirty years of being in power he has always done exactly what he wanted.
He ignores agreements on paper. He ignores laws…. why is everyone thinking now that he will be different?
Leopards don’t change their spots and he is an elderly man who is set in his ways.
We need to be cautious and we need to hope and pray.
September 16th, 2008 12:26
I am yet to read all 55 pages and I will certainly use the new structure as a casestudy of bad organizational design,
BUT to answer your question
1. I take my hat off to anyone trying to work with this agreement. This is patriotism indeed.
2. We tend to be simplistic wanting all or none solutions.
I think we have to each find one small thing to do that makes Zimbabwe closer to what we believe Zimbabwe can be. And do it. If we each did that, we might cause the change that we want to happen.
One small thing each?
September 16th, 2008 13:30
What about the Presidential Executive Powers that give Bob the ultimate power to publish any law willingly? Have they been removed?
September 16th, 2008 14:12
I think perhaps “will it work” is the wrong question. A better question: HOW do we make it work. Or how do we get the best outcome from this.
Anyone who thinks Mugabe and certain elements of his inner circle actually want this agreement to improve Zimbabwean lives, is fooling themselves.
But I’m hoping that a change of mood, a gathering of civil society and democratic forces, a gradual (or maybe rapid) withering of support for Mugabe at grass roots level and among his own MP’s, will provide the leverage to use this agreement.
It doesn’t have to govern the country, just to deliver a new acceptable Constitution and a free and fair election. There’s so little left to govern anyway!
The lack of a conflict resolution mechanism is troubling, but experimentation will have to occur. It might not be difficult if ZANU-PF splits in several directions. Some of them presumably still hope to be electable in five or ten years’ time…
September 16th, 2008 14:18
@Sirius - Bob? How about dictator? Army puppet? Proxy-murdered/torturer? Don’t exonerate this thug with terms of brotherly affiliation. I appreciate the “Bob” was probably sardonic.
September 16th, 2008 15:05
[Sokwanele note: This is a speculative list. Final details of the cabinet will apparently be announced tomorrow]
1. Defence –Hon. Sidney Sekeramayi ZANU PF
2. Home Affairs- Hon.Tendai Biti MDC T
3. Finance – Hon. Tapiwa Mashakada MDC T
4. Foreign Affairs- Hon. Sen. Ryan Chiwase Mutsvene ex-officio MDC T
5. Education, Sports, Arts and Culture- Hon. Fidelis Mhashu MDC T
6. Health and Child Welfare- David Parirenyatwa Zanu pf
7. Higher and Tertiary Education- Hon Sam Sippea Nkomo MDC T
8. Local Government, Urban and Rural Development- Hon Ignatius Chombo Zanu
pf
9. Mines and Mining Development- Hon Emmerson Mnangagwa Zanu pf
10. Industry and Commerce- Hon Chindori Chininga MP Zanu pf
11. **Lands, Agriculture and Resettlement- Sen Roy Bennette ex officio MDC
T
12. Energy and Power Development- Hon Joseph Made MP Zanu pf
13. **Public Service- Hon. Nicholas Goche ex officio (Sen.) Zanu pf
14. Science and Technology Development- Simbarashe Mumbengegwi MP Zanu pf
15. Water Resources and Management- Hon. Munacho Mutezo MP Zanu pf
16. **Regional Integration and International Trade- Hon. Eddie Cross MP MDC
T
17. **Labour and Social Services- Hon. Pauline Gwanyanya MP MDC T
18. **Constitutional and Parliamentary Affairs- Hon. Adv. Eric Matinenga MP
MDC T
19. Environment, Natural Resources and Tourism- Hon Francis Nhema MP Zanu
pf
20. Justice and Legal Affairs- Hon Prof. Elphas Mukonoweshuro MP MDC T
21. **Prisons and Correctional Services- Hon Adv. Welshman Ncube MDC M
22. Women’s Affairs, Gender and Community Development- Hon Olivia Nyembesi
Muchena MP Zanu pf
23. **Economic Planning and Investment Promotion- Hon Jameson Timba MP MDC
T
24. **Information Communication Technology- Sen. Priscilla Misihairambwi
ex-officio MDC M
25. **Media, Information and Publicity- Hon. Nelson Chamisa MP MDC T
26. **State Enterprises and Parastatals- Sen. Tichaona Mudzingwa ex-officio
MDC T
27. **National Housing and Social Amenities- Hon. Sam Chidhakwa MP Zan
Sent at 2:39 PM on Tuesday
September 16th, 2008 16:44
Will it work? - Only time will tell. There are bound to be hiccups.
When will we know that is is working? - When the Zanu-PF colleagues of MDC begin to show relief that they are also, at long last, able to be doing the right things for a change. That’s when it will work.
September 16th, 2008 17:05
The most complicated and cumbersome government in the world… This will be a large scale political experiment.
Hope it is workable but to be workable all its members will have to swallow some of their very deep-seated feelings:
- the MDC members will have to work with the people who ordered to torture (etc.) them and show competency, statesmanship and willingness to work, absence of greed (or at least not too much of it).
- And the ZANU members will have the accept a different ideology and accept this new mindset works better - because it will.
Let’s hope it will create a competency challenge between te MDC and the zanu. After all the latter may have something positive to proove to the world.
September 16th, 2008 17:32
The most complicated and cumbersome government in the world… This will be a large scale political experiment.
I don’t know - have you seen how the Northern Ireland Executive works? Just as cumbersome, if not moreso, and it works (more or less). If there’s the will to make this work, it’ll work. I believe that will is there on the MDC side (both factions). On the Zanu-PF side? We’ll soon find out…
September 16th, 2008 17:38
First of all, nice work, Sokwanele, to lay this all out. You are the GO TO source for releasing the latest relevant information.
The insightful comments of respondents form a laundry list of the strong, the weak, and how to make it work. A summary of the strengths and weaknesses of the agreement will be a handy reference list as the deal is implemented.
Reading the agreement is like reading a cookbook. “How did you like the cookbook?” somebody asks. “I don’t know, I haven’t baked anything yet.”
And while it’s true that the results will have to be seen in practice, it might be prudent to now — START BAKING.
Wishing you and your country a good start. With respect, Miko
September 16th, 2008 20:49
Arduous and forgive me if I say odious too- I mean the so-called “deal”.I am a self confessed pessimist and I see no reason why ZANU will want it to work anyway. As to the people? Bob says stuff them and Sokwanele has did a sterling job in showing us how this is done. I don’t know what the mentioning of real or imagined external enemies has to do with rebuilding a country which we collectively ruined.
I say collectively because we had the opportunity to stop Robert before he brought us to this extreme state if penury. The evidence was there on the podium for all to see- I mean Bob and his sententious and inchoate ramblings what? Its everybody else fault- not his and MT will be at the receiving end of that madness come Monday next. We are in trouble and I need convincing to the contrary
September 17th, 2008 00:36
This, from the UK Telegraph, probably says enough:
“Buried in the detail of Zimbabwe’s 29-page power-sharing agreement are vital
clauses suggesting that President Robert Mugabe may remain the leading force
of the new government.
By David Blair, Diplomatic Editor
16 Sep 2008
Under Article 20, the cabinet - chaired by Mr Mugabe - will keep the
authority to “adopt all government policies”. The Movement for Democratic
Change will have a majority of ministers in the 31-member body. But the
cabinet will “take decisions by consensus”, not by majority vote, suggesting
that Mr Mugabe will retain a right of veto.
Far from reducing the presidency to a ceremonial position, the agreement
explicitly states that Mr Mugabe will have “executive authority”. When he
makes key appointments, he must “consult” Morgan Tsvangirai, the new prime
minister, but he is free to ignore this advice.
As for the new government’s objectives, the agreement springs straight from
Mr Mugabe’s hymn sheet. The seizure of land from white farmers is
“irreversible” and lifting the alleged “sanctions” imposed by the rich world
is a priority.
The agreement is careful to absolve Mr Mugabe of responsibility for
Zimbabwe’s economic crisis. “This international isolation has over the years
created a negative international perception of Zimbabwe,” states the text,
as if Mr Mugabe had nothing whatever to do with the problem.”
September 17th, 2008 00:53
The scariest scenario?
ZANU big-wigs and generals, once used to having total power and receiving unlimited goodies, now face losing everything -their incomes, their influence and their immunity from prosecution.
They blame Mugabe for being weak and giving in - they see Mugabe as beyond his sell-by date. So when Mugabe takes his next trip outside the country, they manufacture a pretext to stage a coup. They lock up the MDC leadership, ignore the humanitarian disaster, and run the ruined country by military junta - welcome to life a la DRC/Somalia/N Korea/Burma.
September 17th, 2008 12:08
@4th Chimurenga -
..obviously a spoof…Roy Bennet as ‘Lands, Agriculture and Resettlement’ minister…err I don’t think so somehow…made me laugh though
September 17th, 2008 20:08
Hmmm, Mugabe keeps the power of the army. They will only listen to him and what about the “Greenbombers”? Are they still there in the background! Zanu PF is trying to do the same thing they did with Nkomo’s Zapu and trying to swallow up the MDC.
How will this solve the economical crisis? Hoping for more Aid! As the farmers are not allowed back, I can’t see the food problems being resolved.
The country is run by the generals and they will not give up power. Good luck Zimbabwe.
September 18th, 2008 13:39
“Deal a humiliation, says Mugabe” - BBC News
“ZANU PF’s central committee and Politburo resolved that the key ministries of Finance,Home Affairs and Defence are non-negotiable” - Zimbabwe Metro
Sounds like Zanu-PF are still suffering from a lack of realism, and that gives reason for pessimism.
September 21st, 2008 19:29
Short answer? No it will not work. Zpf in the background essentially translates to the same way of doing business….plenty of unnecessary underlings paid from the public purse/multiple ministers/unnecessary senatorial posts/freebies for all the posts that have been created ie senators/ministers/vice presidents/deputy prime ministers etc instead of tackling the key issues that face the country. Oh I digress going into a longer answer than previously said.
Again short answer? NO
October 4th, 2008 22:57
Nothing will work with Mugabe in the mix.NOTHING WHATSOEVER!!!
October 7th, 2008 22:07
@Diaspora UK…
Perhaps those of you in the diaspora can wait and see and sit around hoping and praying. Unfortunately if Zimbabweans in Zimbabwe don’t ACT they’ll all have to become part of the diaspora or starve to death or die from Aids and cholera or perhaps be beaten to death.
At least you got the part about grandpa Bob right.
Diaspora UK
September 16th, 2008 12:10
“I think we need to wait and see if it will work…
We need to be cautious and we need to hope and pray.”
October 12th, 2008 07:50
Quite interesting………….to look back at Sokwanele’s “speculative list” of 16th Sept of Unity Government Ministry allocations, with the expectation that full details of the cabinet would be announced the next day!!!!
Hope everyone can get to the Big Sunday Rally.