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New Power-Sharing Agreement Unifies Zimbabwe Political Rivals
By Lauren Crook
September 15, 2008 |  Printer Friendly
Zimbabweans are hoping that a September 11th agreement will bring with it a restoration of the economy, a reestablishment of democracy, and a unified front prepared to properly address the needs of a desperate people. AFP reports that although the accord, signed on September 15th, still allows for the continuation of the 28-year presidency of Robert Mugabe, it also calls for opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai to assume the role of Prime Minister. According to Bloomberg, this radical move was mediated by South African President Thabo Mbeki and has been called a “turning point” towards the recovery of a country devastated by the effects of years of extreme food shortages and economic crises.
Ending a six-month stalemate, the decision was a “product of painful compromise” and will in theory allow both men to co-lead the nation. Bloomberg reports that Mugabe will have control of the military, “oversee the Cabinet, have the power to declare war and martial law, dissolve parliament and chair the National Security Council,” while Tsvangirai will “head a council of ministers…, ‘oversee the formulation of government policies by Cabinet’” and have control over the police and secret services. There will also be two deputy presidents and two deputy prime ministers, one of which will be from Tsvangirai’s Movement for a Democratic Change (MDC) Party. Together, the president and prime minister plan to compose a new constitution.
The creation of the new government echoed beyond Zimbabwe’s borders, especially concerning the all-important issues of international aid and support. The EU assured Zimbabwe that they were prepared to offer assistance if the new ruling powers continued taking steps in the right democratic direction, stating "The EU is ready notably to adopt a series of measures of economic support and help to a transition government that took measures to restore democracy and rule of law in Zimbabwe, notably by organizing transparent and pluralistic elections.”
AFP reports that although Tsvangirai asserted that “the international aid organizations came to help our country and found our doors locked. We need to unlock our doors to aid -- we need medicine, food, and doctors back in our country,” Mugabe seemed to oppose international relief, asking in his September 15th speech, “Why is the hand of Britain and America here? Zimbabwe is a sovereign country.”
According to Time, Mugabe also went on to imply that democracy is not working in Africa, claiming that “We must resist those who want to impose their will on us. This thing called democracy in Africa is a difficult proposition. Always the opposition want more than what they deserve.” Many analysts believe that the president will also “continue to do his utmost to undermine the deal and sideline his opponents,” by using his anti-MDC military for his benefit and others still fear that Tsvangirai was coerced into an unequal compromise of power. In theory the agreement appears solid, but only time will tell whether these two arch-rivals will be able to put aside their differences to truly put into practice effective policies which work for Zimbabwe as a whole.
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