Financial Gazette
8 January 2009
By Njabulo Ncube, Political Editor
Of PF ZAPU and year of the bull
Njabulo Ncube, Political Editor
ASTROLOGISTS from the country’s all-weather friends — the Chinese — say 2009 is the year of the bull or ox.
With ZANU-PF and Morgan Tsvangirai’s Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) seemingly miles away from forming an all-inclusive government due to inherent sharp differences; could 2009 turnout to be the year of the actual revival of PF ZAPU?
This question becomes relevant seeing as PF ZAPU’s political symbol is a charging bull.
Dumiso Dabengwa, the former ZIPRA intelligence supremo was at the end of 2008 — the year of the rat — given the full mandate to resuscitate the party when he was unanimously elected chairman of PF ZAPU.
Dabengwa, who quit ZANU-PF early last year to dabble in opposition politics, firstly with former finance minister Simba Makoni’s Mavambo/Kusile/ Dawn project, said PF ZAPU, would hit the ground running this year.
The PF ZAPU revivalists have retained the black-charging bull as the party’s symbol, which party proponents expect to charge into the political territories of both ZANU-PF and the MDC.
While ZANU-PF and the two MDC formations have dismissed the revival of PF ZAPU as a non-event, its proponents are adamant that the mainly Matabeleland-based party would use 2009 to sell itself to the electorate disgruntled with ZANU-PF and MDC shenanigans.
There are fears if Tsvangirai decided not to join the unity government led by President Robert Mugabe this year, 2009 could turn out like 2008, the year of the rat or worse still 2007 — the year of the pig.
Will the black charging bull stand up to be counted in 2009 upon ZANU-PF and MDC failing to form a coalition government?
“Of course, we are a better alternative,” Dabengwa said.
Analysts are however, not giving the revived PF ZAPU much chance saying the party had come late into the political scene to make an impact just like Makoni’s project.
The party is also being viewed as a tribal project and not the old Joshua Nkomo-led PF ZAPU that had national appeal.
According to analysts, focus would remain on the MDC and ZANU-PF, and not PF ZAPU, given the pressing challenges facing the country and the efforts made so far in resolving them.
Eldred Masunungure, a professor of political science at the University of Zimbabwe, said judging by the political developments that have taken place, prospects for 2009 were very bright for the country.
Masunungure said he was very optimistic ZANU-PF and the two MDC formations would implement the shaky power-sharing deal brokered by former South African president, Thabo Mbeki, in September 2008.
“I am overly optimistic that something will happen in the first half of 2009 anchored on the controversial power-sharing deal,” he said. “I think the power-sharing arrangement will take off. When it takes off, I can foresee the downward trend the country has been experiencing in the past years being arrested and the nation start rebuilding.”
Masunungure said all the three main political parties have no option but to ensure that the power-sharing deal succeeded in 2009.
He added: “I am not pessimistic and I think that is why President Mugabe has given a two-month breathing space before proceeding with a unilateral government. He will in the meantime find ways of salvaging a political settlement. There is no other option other than this power-sharing arrangement. All other options are blocked,” he said.
Ernest Mudzengi, a political analyst drumming up support for a people-driven constitution, expressed pessimism over the formation of the much-awaited coalition government.
“I foresee another complicated year in which ZANU-PF will try to hang on to power at the expense of democracy,” Mudzengi said. “We are going to see more repression,” he said.
Mudzengi said ZANU-PF and the two MDC factions were miles apart, saying the power-sharing deal cobbled by Mbeki was fundamentally flawed as it excluded other stakeholders such as the churches and civil society organisations.
“I don’t see the power-sharing deal succeeding. There are no indications to that effect. We need an all-inclusive government, which is real, not this horse and rider kind of partnership. We want a democratic government based on people’s will,” he said.
On December 17 2008, President Mugabe wrote to opposition leaders Tsvangirai and Arthur Mutambara informing them of his intention to set up an inclusive government in terms of the Inter Party Agreement signed on September 15 the same year.
President Mugabe went further to invite both Tsvangirai and Mutambara to submit names of people they propose to hold ministerial and deputy ministerial posts as allocated them under the power sharing deal endorsed by a full Southern African Development Comm-unity summit.
“The Inter Party Agreement provides, among other things, for the appointment of Mr Tsvangirai as Prime Minister and two Deputy Prime Ministers, one to come from MDC-T and the other to come from MDC-M,” reads part of the letter written by President Mugabe.
President Mugabe stated in the letter that the Inter Party Agreement further stipulated the appointment of 31 ministers with 15 to come from ZANU-PF, 13 from MDC-T and 3 from MDC-M as well as 15 deputy ministers with eight to come from ZANU-PF, 6 from MDC-T and one from MDC-M.
He said the allocation of the ministries to the respective parties had been completed in accordance with the provisions of Article 20.1.3 (l) and then proceeded to attach a document reflecting the allocation of the ministries as a “reminder.’
Documents in possession of The Financial Gazette indicate the Mutambara camp is agreeable to President Mugabe’s overtures to form a new government.
MDC-M sources said their political formation had already compiled names for people they earmarked to hold ministerial positions in the all-inclusive government President Mugabe is understood to be pushing to put in place by February when he returns from his annual leave.
“While fully appreciating the utmost urgency of the matter, may I, your Excellency, respectfully suggest and request that the matter of nomination of individuals to ministerial positions be resolved by way of a meeting of the principals so that the nominations may be reflected upon by the principals,” Mutambara replied.
Mutambara reportedly met President Mugabe on December 31 last year to discuss the formation of the inclusive government.
While the MDC-T has expressed reservations in joining the all-inclusive government citing a number of outstanding issues in the power-sharing deal, MDC-M sources indicated that Mutambara would be appointed one of the deputy Prime Ministers, party secretary general Welshman Ncube, the minister of Industry and Commerce, Senator David Coltart, minister of Education, Sports and Culture while Priscilla Misihairambwi-Mushonga would be appointed minister of Regional Integration and International Cooperation.
Bright Matonga, the deputy minister of information and publicity, told state television and the international media that President Mugabe was proceeding with preparations for a new government in 2009.
Matonga said Tsvangirai should come back home from self-imposed exile in Botswana and join the coalition government.
“Tsvangirai should join the government. President Mugabe has invited them to come along and form the new government. So 2009 holds a lot for the country if Tsvangirai becomes serious. We can’t be held at ransom by him,” he said.