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Zim Parliament backs Unity Govt

2 comments

Posted by: News Desk on February 6, 2009 Under: Africa, News Snips, Zimbabwe



Zimbabwe’s parliament has endorsed a bill which allows opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai to become prime minister. MPs and senators voted unanimously to approve a power-sharing deal between Zanu-PF leader, President Robert Mugabe and Tsvangirai. Mugabe is due to sign the constitutional amendment on Friday, while Tsvangirai is to be sworn in on 11 February. The power sharing-deal was agreed in September but has suffered repeated setbacks due to disagreements. Last week a bloc of southern African leaders urged Tsvangirai’s Movement for Democratic Change to form a unity government with Zanu-PF. The unity government is expected to alleviate Zimbabwe’s economic crisis. Donors have also promised to restore aid when an efficient and equal government is installed. – Panos, London.

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2 comment(s)

  1. busani | Feb 7, 2009 | Reply

    l strongly support unity gvmt 4 the sack of fellow countryman who r still under seige back home.

  2. Teryine Nxumalo | Mar 6, 2009 | Reply

    I was always opposed to a GNU because from the onset, how can power be shared between a greedy person who has ruled single handedly for about thirty years and new guy. This means we arre dilute all efforts to rebuild with evil powers of resistance, with people who have been stealing everything until nothing was left. What reconstruction can you achieve with someone whose team is known for stealing spanning over the same period.

    What is sharing, what is national Unity, this works in certain scenarios, the circumstances are almost similar to the Kenya GNU issue but the Zim issue is quite different. Only similar in that the losers refused to leave office. The losers had been the head of the ruling Gvt. Mugabe has been targetting whites in most of his inhuman moves, actually taking their property by Gvt generated evasive legislation. The unfree justice system aparatus would then convict and do away with any eforts to reason and whites wld in 99% of the cases leave everything.

    A unity government will never work in Zimbabwe because the sides to share the gvt are so different, with virtually nothing in common. The party manifestos have no single common item to share. The seem to meet on land reform but the way they propose to execute the process is so different.

    The only way forward is to change the Gvt not to share, because there is nothing to share.

    The Tsvangirais’ accident of today is exactly the same as the accident of Cpt Nleya, Zororo Duri and about 4 others which we were left with doubts until today. Its trucks, identity not clear, the identity of driver likely to be unreal as always. 3 Types of accidents happen in Zim and the victims get slain like that I could say more.

    The GNU has not achieved our hopes. In rebuilding an economy, the focus is to cut on Gvt spending, which starts with the size of cabinet that is appointed. We have 71 cabinet members, who have all so far been given lashy vehicles worth lots of money. The USA cabinet has 17 cabinet members, Germany has 23. What is the justification of 71. We were to have 15 from Mugabe, 13 from Tsvangirai and 2 Mutambara. The total was to be 31 but the OAU and I dont know allowed the figure to more than double. This means that all issues tabled in parliament Mugabe’s men will win with votes so nothing will really in a GNU of this sort, do you understand. The immediate move to cut the number of executives on the Gvt payroll would be to nullify the senate, nullify the Provincial Govenors, to join Minstries with like cause eg To Join the Education Ministries, To join Industry & Commerce with International Trade & The Technology ministry, To join Health and Social Welfare. To Join Transport with Information and Communications, To scrap Min of Small n Medium scale Enterprises (what kind of Ministry is that, concerns covered by Industry and Commerce),To scrap the Ministries of Gender and Cooperatives, as issue is covered by Social Services Dept, To scrap The Rural Ammenities Ministry as issue is well covered by DDF or Local Gvt and scrap many other meaningless Appointments. The many changes would result in 12 Ministries. Deputy ministers are not required as Minstries will be effectively run Perm Sec who would have deputies to run specific departments.

    The gvt entreprises & amenities to be minimised to ensure effective running, monotoring and run away from funding losses incidental to same. If legislation to make such changes is introduced for debate. Mugabe’s men will win because they are too many. The SADC and OAU are something else I tell you.

    I am disgruntled deeply.

    Imagine and try to follow the Bennet case, do you think taht is national Unity. Think about the fate of innocent people arrested before the GNU but still in custody, the likes of Human Rights activist Jestina Mukoko, is that UNITY, I DONT Think so.

    This is not rebuilding, this is not the way to rebuild. We need to throw away the rotten bricks. And bring bricks with sharp corners to build a meaningful Zimbabwe. If we mix the brick, the Zimbabwe we try to erect will fall in no time.

    Teryine Nxumalo
    BSc(Hons)Sociology

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