Activists dismiss Principals’ meeting as ‘mere talk’

By Tererai Karimakwenda
09 February 2012

Zimbabwe’s principal leaders have been strongly criticised for showing no urgency in implementing reforms that they have agreed to, just a day after the coalition government leaders held a crisis meeting on the way forward.

Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, his deputy Arthur Mutambara and Robert Mugabe met on Wednesday to discuss the pending appointment of a new police chief and other issues that had “deadlocked” progress by the coalition.

But media and electoral experts on Thursday criticised them for agreeing to reforms without any specific time frame for implementation. The reforms agreed to were also dismissed as “nothing new.” Some observers said they do not address the real root of Zimbabwe’s problems.

“This showcases the circus that is in the coalition government,” said Njabulo Ncube from the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA), who described the principals meeting as “mere talk.”

Addressing the press after the meeting, the Deputy Prime Minister Mutambara told reporters they had agreed on the reconstitution of the boards of the Mass Media Trust, the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation and the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe.

Ncube said there was nothing new in that information, as the principals had agreed to reconstitute these boards over a year ago, but nothing has changed since. He explained that Information Minister, Webster Shamu is the same minister who ignored orders from the principals to oversee these changes.

“It’s not taking us anywhere. We’ve heard all this before and it is déjà vu,” Ncube insisted. He criticised the coalition leaders for talking about media reforms just a week after the Media Commission announced efforts to ban all foreign newspapers that are not registered in Zimbabwe but are distributed there.

Regarding elections, Mutambara told reporters they had agreed that the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission needs to be ‘resourced’ in order for the next elections to be credible.

“And we hope the issue of violence will be resolved once this bill is adopted,” Mutambara said.

He added that the coalition wants a report on the status of the constitution making process from the Parliamentary Committee (COPAC), with time frames for implementation of all the issues that must be dealt with.

Madock Chivasa from the National Constitutional Assembly (NCA) criticised the idea of resourcing the current electoral commission, whose members he dismissed as political appointments. Chivasa also dismissed COPAC, saying its members push the agenda of their political parties.

“Resourcing ZEC does not mean good results. It has more to do with how it functions and whether it is independent and operates in a transparent manner. It seems the executive has control of it,” Chivasa insisted.

The activist also addressed what he described as duplication of responsibilities within the government. He said: “There is this confusion in government in terms of who is really responsible for issues and proposals that are discussed.”

Chivasa was referring to negotiators from the political parties, who are also supposed to be working on a roadmap towards elections, facilitated by South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma and the regional SADC grouping.

Chivasa said without a people-driven constitution that clearly spells out the duties of independent entities that are accountable to the people, Zimbabwe will not be able to conduct elections that can be considered free and fair.