Inclusive government continues
February 15th, 2011
Second Anniversary of the GPA
It was on 11th February 2009 that Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and his two deputy prime ministers, Thokozani Khupe and Arthur Mutambara, were sworn in by President Mugabe, marking the birth of the Inclusive Government. Friday was therefore hailed as, in effect, the Second Anniversary of the GPA although most Ministers and Deputy Ministers were sworn in two days later.
Inclusive Government Continues
ZANU-PF – and the President – have been saying that the GPA would expire after two years of the Inclusive Government but could be extended by agreement of the parties – although they expressed unwillingness to countenance an extension beyond mid-2011. This position is at odds with the GPA – because there is no express statement in the GPA that it will come to an end on any particular date. Nor can a two-year life-span be read in by implication.
When the GPA was negotiated it was certainly expected by all sides that the Inclusive Government would last only about two years. It was also then expected that the constitution-making process would follow the timetable set out in Article 6 of the GPA. Then, assuming a “yes” vote in the referendum, a new constitution would have been enacted by Parliament not later than mid-October 2010. There would then have been time for the holding of elections and the formation of a new government under a new constitution before February 2011. But the constitution-making process is still far from complete and has not been abandoned or disowned by the GPA parties. So the GPA remains in force and it is not necessary for the parties to sit down and agree on an extension. De facto this is what is happening, with a Council of Ministers meeting scheduled for this week and a Cabinet meeting for next [this week’s Cabinet has been cancelled because the President is away]. Parliament is continuing as normal.
Via Veritas Press release
