SADC blueprint on the way forward in Zimbabwe

http://www.hararetribune.com

Tuesday, 20 January 2009 04:12 Trymore Magomana

Following the talks held yesterday, SADC came up with a position paper on
how to break the deadlock between the MDC and ZANU-PF. This position paper
is appended below.
The most striking aspect of this document is that the SADC leaders are
trying to short circuit the GNU deal by having Tsvangirai sworn in, before
the all inclusive government has been formed. SADC says in the paper that
Tsvangirai should be sworn in by January 24.

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Full text of Sadc's position paper on breaking the inclusive Government
deadlock:

AGREEMENT AMONG THE ZIMBABWE POLITICAL LEADERS ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE
"AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE ZIMBABWE AFRICAN NATIONAL UNION-PATRIOTIC FRONT AND
THE TWO MOVEMENT FOR DEMOCRATIC CHANGE FORMATIONS, ON RESOLVING THE
CHALLENGES FACING ZIMBABWE" (HEREINAFTER REFERRED TO AS "THE AGREEMENT")

After consultations held in Harare, Zimbabwe, on 19 January 2009, the
Principals hereby agree to the following:

1. Proceed immediately with the formation of the Inclusive Government as
prescribed in the Agreement

2. To support the adoption of the Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment 19 at
the sitting of Parliament on Tuesday 20 January 2009

3. To swear-in the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Ministers by 24 January
2009 and thereafter proceed to appoint ministers

4. The MDC-T shall submit a draft Bill on the National Security Council for
consideration by the Parties by 24 January 2009

5. At the end of the contract of the incumbent Governors or should vacancies
arise, the posts will be shared amongst the Parties, according to agreed
formula

6. The allocation of ministerial portfolios shall be reviewed six (6) months
after the inauguration of the Cabinet as per the decision of the Sadc
Extraordinary Summit held in Sandton, South Africa, on 9 November 2008.

7. Outstanding issues raised by MDC-T shall be dealt with:

a. In terms of Article XXII, Paragraph 22.4 of the Agreement, which states:

"Joint Monitoring and Implementation Committee (JOMIC) shall be the
principal body dealing with the issues of compliance and monitoring of this
Agreement and to that end, the Parties hereby undertake to channel all
complaints, grievances, concerns and issues relating to the compliance with
this Agreement through JOMIC and to refrain from any conduct which might
undermine the spirit of co-operation necessary for the fulfilment of this
Agreement"; and/or

b. By the Inclusive Government after its formation.

Zimbabwe talks fail to break new ground

http://www.businessday.co.za

20 January 2009

Dumisani Muleya

Harare Correspondent

ZIMBABWE's power-sharing talks brokered by regional leaders hung in the
balance last night amid fears of a collapse as President Robert Mugabe and
opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai failed to agree on details for a unity
government.

Mugabe rejected Tsvangirai's conditions for joining his government, saying
his demands were "unacceptable".

Tsvangirai presented a position paper by his Movement for Democratic Change
(MDC) demanding control of the "key" home affairs, finance, information,
agriculture and local government ministries.

He proposed that Mugabe take defence, national security, justice, foreign
affairs and land .

Sources said Mugabe rejected Tsvangirai's proposals , insisting the issue
had been resolved and there was no need to "reopen" it.

"Tsvangirai put forward his party's position, but Mugabe simply said it was
unacceptable," said one negotiator at the inter-party talks. "That left the
meeting frozen, and efforts by regional leaders to push the two to make
compromises failed. It looks like the talks are on the verge of collapse."

Mugabe suggested previously that all the contested ministries, except
finance, go to his party, Zanu (PF).

Southern African Development Community (SADC) leaders had suggested that
home affairs be co-managed by Mugabe and Tsvangirai.

Before yesterday's meeting - attended by President Kgalema Motlanthe, who is
also the SADC chairman, mediator Thabo Mbeki and Mozambican President
Armando Guebuza - Mugabe and Tsvangirai had hardened their positions,
signalling that the talks could finally break down.

Mugabe had described the meeting as "make or break", and warned he would not
make concessions, while Tsvangirai had insisted on the MDC demands being
met.

Sources said Motlanthe, Mbeki and Guebuza pushed hard for a compromise,
reminding Mugabe and Tsvangirai of Zimbabwe's deepening political and
economic crisis and its collateral damage on the region, but failed to move
the bitter rivals.

It is understood that Mugabe insisted that he had complied with SADC
recommendations to put measures in place to form an inclusive government,
but Tsvangirai had disagreed.

Mugabe said at the meeting that he had accepted the sharing of home affairs,
gazetted the draft constitutional amendment bill, which was due before
parliament today, and had always been ready to swear Tsvangirai in to office
pending the constitutional amendment to legalise his appointment as prime
minister.

This, Mugabe said, had all been blocked by the refusal of the MDC to
co-operate.

Although Motlanthe, Mbeki and Guebuza were forced to stick to the SADC
position, supported by smaller MDC faction leader Arthur Mutambara, they
still demanded a compromise solution, which could not be found as Mugabe and
Tsvangirai remained poles apart.

Zimbabwe talks to end power-sharing deadlock end in collapse

http://www.telegraph.co.uk

A last-ditch effort to save Zimbabwe's power-sharing agreement collapsed on
Monday night, after President Robert Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan
Tsvangirai failed to reach an agreement.

Last Updated: 11:09PM GMT 19 Jan 2009

Mr Tsvangirai, the leader of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change
(MDC), joined Mr Mugabe at a highly-charged meeting in the capital Harare.

The rivals signed a deal to create a coalition government last September.

This agreement would have led to Mr Tsvangirai becoming prime minister, with
Mr Mugabe staying on as president, and the MDC's two factions taking 16
cabinet posts. But the proposed coalition has never been implemented. Both
Mr Tsvangirai and Mr Mugabe insisted that one of their allies become home
affairs minister, a powerful post which controls the police.

On this stumbling block, the whole agreement was deadlocked. Talks broke
down and Mr Tsvangirai has spent the past two months in self-imposed exile
in the neighbouring country of Botswana. The meeting on Monday was an
attempt to break the deadlock.

Mr Mugabe, who turns 85 next month and has recently begun a new campaign of
repression against the MDC, said these talks were the moment when Mr
Tsvangirai would have to join a coalition or walk away from the deal.
"Either they [the MDC] accept, or it's a break," said Mr Mugabe.

To increase the pressure for an agreement, President Kgalema Motlanthe of
South Africa arrived in Harare, along with President Armando Guebuza of
Mozambique and Thabo Mbeki, the official mediator.

They represent the Southern African Development Community (SADC), a regional
organisation of 16 countries which is trying to broker the deal.

But after 12 hours of negotiations, the two men failed to reach an
agreement. A source close to the talks said that Mr Mugabe had "made a
compromise", but it appeared that it had been rejected by the MDC.

Regional leaders will discuss the crisis next week in South Africa or
Botswana at a summit which both Mr Tsvangirai and Mr Mugabe have agreed to
attend, a SADC official said. But Mr Mugabe later said he would continue
power-sharing talks with his rival in Zimbabwe ahead of the regional summit,
adding that the talks had broken down after Mr Tsvangirai's MDC presented
its own proposals, which differed from the SADC recommendations.

The opposition leader said that little progress had been made. "For us as
the MDC this is probably the darkest day of our lives. I am sure the whole
nation is waiting anxiously for the resolution of this crisis. We are
committed to this deal but subject to (ruling party) ZANU-PF conceding on
these issues," Mr Tsvangirai said.

A possible formula to break the deadlock over the home affairs ministry
would have an ally of Mr Mugabe holding the post, with an MDC figure serving
as his deputy.

Mr Tsvangirai is under intense pressure to agree a compromise formula. His
relations with Mr Mbeki, the chief mediator, are dogged by mistrust and
suspicion. Many in Mr Tsvangirai's own party doubt his ability to withstand
the pressure.

Arthur Mutambara, the leader of the rival faction of the MDC, said rescuing
the power-sharing deal was crucial to reviving the nation's economy. "Now is
the time to find common ground among Zimbabweans, the time for flexibility,
compromise and pragmatism," he said.

Banks limit withdrawals

http://www.herald.co.zw/inside.aspx?sectid=277&cat=8

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

HR-New Ziana.

MOST banks in Harare are limiting cash that can be withdrawn by workers in
sharp contrast to the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe's announcement that all
workers could access their full salaries as from Monday last week.

Some workers who went to their respective banks to withdraw their salaries
were left a frustrated lot after they were informed that they could only
withdraw part of their salaries.

In most instances, banks were allowing their clients to withdraw at least
$10 trillion while those that were running such as CBZ, CABS and Beverly had
reduced the withdrawals to less than $10 trillion dollars.

Bank officials said cash shortages were being caused by the increase in
demand for cash as civil servants, chief among them soldiers and teachers,
had started getting their January salaries.- HR-New Ziana.

Call to fully 'dollarise' Zimbabwe

http://www.businessday.co.za/

20 January 2009

HARARE - The Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce (ZNCC) wants the economy
to be completely dollarised to improve the operation of industry, the
state-controlled Herald reported yesterday.

ZNCC president Obert Sibanda told the newspaper the immediate measure
required to resuscitate the industry was to grant all companies licences to
trade in foreign currency.

"We have to accept the economy has been dollarised and all companies should
be registered to trade in hard currency," Sibanda said. "The country should
adopt holistic approaches for industry to prosper, he said.

"The revitalisation of the economy in 2009 rests on concrete solutions that
must be created by all stakeholders," he was quoted as saying. "We no longer
need piecemeal solutions."

Sibanda said industries had been operating below capacity and faced
shortages of raw material and foreign currency.

The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe last year partially dollarised the economy,
granting more than 1000 firms licences to trade in foreign currency. The
economy has, however, illegally fully dollarised with almost all sectors now
charging in foreign currency.

"Stakeholders need to engage and stop the blame game if 2009 is to be a
better year for business," Sibanda said. Sapa

Save Zimbabwe Now - Launch

Dear friends,

Please see the attached invitation for press and individuals to the launch
of the Save Zimbabwe Now solidarity movement.

Wednesday 21 January, 11am at the Central Methodist Mission in Johannesburg.

This initiative aims to consolidate the existing solidarity groups and
actions where possible into a loud and clear voice represented by all
parties and stakeholders both here in South Africa and in Zimbabwe.

We hope you will be able to attend in numbers.

The website which is still being uploaded is www.savezimbabwenow.com

There is a Facebook group Save Zimbabwe Now too.

Best regards
Emily Wellman

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