GPA negotiators, facilitators meets in South Africa

The negotiators to the Global Political Agreement (GPA) are on Thursday expected to meet the facilitation team in an attempt to iron out contentious issues.

Tendai Biti and Elton Mangoma represent MDC-T, Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga and Mr Moses Mzila Ndlovu represent MDC-N and Patrick Chinamasa and Nicholas Goche represent Zanu-PF.

MDC-T on Wednesday confirmed that its negotiators were in South Africa, while ZANU Pf confirmed the negotiators were already in South Africa for a meeting with the facilitation team.

Initially, the facilitation team had been invited to Zimbabwe for a meeting with the negotiators from May 5 to 7.

It is this meeting which was later shifted to South Africa.

The meeting comes at a time when the negotiators completed the drafting of an election roadmap last month, which was reportedly handed over to the principals.

The roadmap identifies the lifting of sanctions, completion of the constitution-making process and amendments to electoral laws as some of the critical issues that should be addressed before national elections are held.

The elections were set for this year but there are indications that they could be delayed to next year or 2013.
In the roadmap report, the negotiators are also in agreement on the need for media reforms.

Falling under media reforms are issues such as the appointment of new boards for the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation, Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe and trustees for the Mass Media Trust.

The negotiators have also agreed on the establishment of a Media Council of Zimbabwe, licensing of new broadcasters and called on governments hosting and funding pirate radio stations to stop doing so.

They also agreed in principle on voter education, mobilisation of voter registration, preparation of a new voters' roll and its inspection.

However, there are issues in contention that the parties feel should be discussed further. The MDC formations want a fresh recruitment at the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission but Zanu-PF is adamant there should be no changes. The MDC formations further want security forces to issue a public statement upholding the Constitution and respecting the rule of law ahead of any election or referendum.

Zanu-PF contends that this was not an election matter and that parties have no right to direct uniformed forces to issues such a statement as they took an oath of office, loyalty and secrecy to uphold the Constitution.

The MDC formations also allege that serving members of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces were actively involved in the affairs of Zanu-PF at the grassroots.

Zanu-PF argues that some ex-combatants, who retired from the army and are not active members of the ZDF, were active in the party structures.

The MDC formations further claim that their members were under attack from Zanu-PF supporters but the Joint Monitoring and Implementation Committee says both parties were equally to blame for the violence.