From enemies to partners: Zimbabwean Ministers talk about the difficult path of transition
On April 24-25, two Zimbabwean politicians, Elton
Mangoma, Minister of Economic Planning and Industry and Deputy Treasurer of the
MDC-Tsvangirai party, and Welshman Ncube, Minister of Industry and
Commerce, and Secretary General of the
MDC-Mutambara, visited The Netherlands on their first trip to Europe since the
inauguration of the new tripartite government in February this year. The Ministers
were invited by the Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy (NIMD) to discuss
the possibility of re-engagement with Zimbabwe on the international donor
community. In discussions with the Ministers, the Dutch government and several politicians
indicated that although they were as yet not prepared to consider budget
support , they would be willing to support the democratic transition process
itself. "It is still to early
to restore the development relations with the Zimbabwean government ",
said the Dutch Minister for International Cooperation, Bert Koenders, after
meeting both Ministers.
In the
spirit of Nelson Mandela, who said: ‘If you want to make peace with your
enemy, you have to work with your enemy, than he becomes your partner', the
two MDC parties in the opposition have signed a political agreement with the
party of Zimbabwe's
long-time ruler Mugabe, ZANU PF. The agreement offers a clearly demarcated road map for
economic recovery, constitutional reforms and free elections. Both Ministers
negotiated on behalf of their respective parties in the SADC negotiations resulting
in the agreement, the so-called Global Political Agreement (GPA), which was signed
on 15 September 2008. Subsequently, the
current ‘inclusive government' was installed on 6 February 2009. Both Ministers
are co-chairs of JOMIC, a tripartite body that oversees the implementation of the
GPA.
At the
annual Africa Day in The Hague,
where the Ministers spoke at a session organized by NIMD, they elaborated on the
new political arrangement that resulted from the GPA as it provides for power
sharing between the President, Prime Minister and the Cabinet. Before the
agreement executive powers were exclusively in the hands of the President. This new sharing of executive powers is
enshrined in the current constitution with the recent adoption by parliament of Amendment 19.
At the
session Mr Mangoma reassured politicians, representatives of civil society and
other interested people in the audience that "Mugabe's power has been
drastically diminished. His position has become more ceremonial." He stressed
that the transitional government "needs Mugabe for a peaceful implementation of
the political reforms". Mr Ncube on his
part conveyed to the audience that "once the new and independent institutions,
such as the electoral commission, the human rights commission, the media
commission and the anti-corruption commission, have been established and
advertisements have been placed for candidates to be nominated, a repeat of what happened in our country the March and June
elections last year will hopefully be prevented, and Zimbabweans shall be free in future to
express their will as to who governs them". He was referring to the political violence during
the 2008 elections, when it became
apparent that MDC might win the elections and ZANU PF was not prepared to hand over power.
It is unusual,
both Ministers admitted, to be in this transitional government with ZANU-PF.
Still, under the circumstances both consider it the right choice. Mr Mangoma admitted that it is not an ‘easy
marriage' . "When we entered office, there was nothing: institutional decay,
broken chairs and empty financial coffers. Yes, we are grateful for the
humanitarian aid, but our hospitals need electricity and teachers their pay checks.
A government with a $ 5 million monthly running budget is a government that can
only sit and take time."
Both
Ministers stressed that to help Zimbabwe
economically and politically, support of the international community is needed.
"We need this transition government to
succeed, so that Mugabe can not point his finger to the former opposition
parties, saying nothing has changed even with us in government," Mr Ncube
explained.
At the
moment the government's monthly budget is
close to US$ 30 million. Of this budget, US$ 25 million is used to provide for
the US$ 100 monthly compensation for teachers, nurses, cops, civil servants and
ministers. The government has no funds available for actual salaries. Meanwhile
the industrial sector uses only 10% of its capacity due to a lack of credit and
investments. This leaves no funds available for investing in the country's economy
and infrastructure. Paradoxically, a lack of substantial political and economic
reforms will play into the wrong hands.
The longer the international donor community stays aloof, the bigger the
chances that the hopes Zimbabweans have today for conditions to improve now
that MDC has joined the inclusive government, will be shattered.
"There is
hope again in Harare",
concluded Mr Mangoma. "We want this to be a peaceful transition towards a
democratic Zimbabwe."