NEGOTIATORS to the Global Political Agreement (GPA) last week agreed to ask South African President Jacob Zuma to engage principals in the unity government over the stalled security sector reforms.

Negotiators say security sector ‘sensitive’

Comment & Analysis

By The Standard | May. 8, 2011

BY KHOLWANI NYATHI NEGOTIATORS to the Global Political Agreement (GPA) last week agreed to ask South African President Jacob Zuma to engage principals in the unity government over the stalled security sector reforms.

The negotiators met between Thursday and Friday in Cape Town South Africa to discuss the new election roadmap and concerns over the conduct of the police, army and the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) topped the agenda.

MDC formations argue that partisan security forces are a major threat to any credible election.

The MDC, MDC-T and Zanu PF negotiators agreed to strengthen the Joint Monitoring and Implementation Committee (Jomic) so that it can effectively deal with cases of politically motivated violence.

Talks around the roadmap will continue in Harare this week ahead of the extraordinary Southern African Development Community (Sadc) summit in Namibia on May 20.

But the negotiators agreed to leave the matter of the security forces to Zuma, President Robert Mugabe, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and Welshman Ncube because “it is a sensitive issue.”

One of the MDC-T negotiators, Energy and Power Development Minister Elton Mangoma said Zuma was expected in the country anytime soon.

“President Zuma should be able to talk to the principals on the security sector,” Mangoma told the Voice of America after the negotiations.

“We agreed that given the sensitivity surrounding the issue it must be left to the principals.”

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The MDCs want the army, the police and intelligence to operate within the limits of the constitution and stop dabbling in politics.

Service chiefs have in the past declared that they will not salute Tsvangirai if he beats Mugabe in presidential elections.

They were accused of spearheading the 2008 violence when it looked certain that Tsvangirai would beat Mugabe in the June 27 run-off poll.

Mugabe went on to run unchallenged after Tsvangirai pulled out citing the deadly violence against his supporters.

The 87-year-old ruler’s poll victory was rejected even by usually uncritical African leaders.

Mangoma said the negotiations in Harare would focus on time lines for the referendum on the constitution and the next elections.

Zanu PF has already lost its battle for the elections to be held this year and indications are now that the poll would be held either next year or in 2013.

The negotiators also agreed that they would meet commissioners of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) to discuss staffing concerns raised by the MDCs.

The MDCsargue that ZEC, which is supposed to be independent, is dominated by former members of the security forces who are known to be loyal to Zanu PF.

ZEC was previously headed by former soldier and now High Court Judge Preisdent George Chiweshe who was a central figure in the controversy surrounding the delayed March 2008 presidential election results.

Critics believe the results were delayed to facilitate rigging in favour of Mugabe.

Zanu PF has been accused of stalling the implementation of the GPA signed in 2009 but the tough stance taken by the Sadc organ on politics, defence and security at its summit in Livingstone, Zambia last month appears to have jolted the party into action.

Finance minister Tendai Biti is the other MDC-T negotiator while Moses Mzila-Ndlovu and Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga represent the MDC led by Industry and Commerce Minister Welshman Ncube.

Justice minister Patrick Chinamasa and Nicholas Goche represent Zanu PF. Zuma’s facilitation team is made up of his international advisor Lindiwe Zulu and former ministers Charles Nqakula and Mac Maharaj.