News / National
Global Political Agreement negotiators agree on timelines
04 Jul 2011 at 22:52hrs | Views
The Global Political Agreement (GPA) negotiators have put timelines on issues raised in the elections roadmap and are expected to sign the document tomorrow before presenting it to the principals.
The negotiators met in Harare yesterday and agreed on the timelines, which they said would guide the process to elections as advised by the extraordinary summit of Sadc Heads of State and Government in Sandton, South Africa last month.
Some of the agreed items on the elections roadmap include the lifting of the illegal sanctions, completion of the constitution-making process, media reforms, rule of law and amendments to electoral laws.
Zanu-PF negotiator Cde Patrick Chinamasa confirmed the development last night.
"The meeting went very well and we are concluding on Wednesday when we sign the agreed timelines. We limited ourselves on putting timeliness on the roadmap.
"I was delegated as the secretary to write today's (yesterday) minutes so I am going to produce the copy that will be signed by the negotiators on Wednesday (tomorrow)," said Cde Chinamasa who is also Minister of Justice and Legal Affairs.
He said areas of disagreement remained timeless, amo-ng them security sector reforms.
Zanu-PF has already said no to security sector reforms, adding Zimbabwe's security sector is highly professional and recognised in the world.
MDC representative Mrs Priscilla Misihairabwi-Musho-nga said there was consensus on the timelines, adding that the principals would look at the timelines set on issues raised in the roadmap before coming up with a posi- tion.
"There was consensus among the negotiators on the timelines. We never disagreed. However, we cannot disclose the timeframes now because we are still to sign on Wednesday.
"After we have signed, we will then give them to principals to look at them and decide on the way forward. We were process-specific, not event-specific as some people might have wished.
"We were looking at how long it would take to reach things on the roadmap. Sadc said we should indicate how long we think it is going to take to complete the process. We put timelines from sanctions to the actual holding of elections," said Mrs Misihairabwi-Mushonga, who is also the Minister of Regional Integration and International Co-operation.
MDC-T negotiator Mr Elton Mangoma, who is also the Minister of Energy and Power Development said: "We have put timelines on the agreed items, though I cannot get into detail.
"On contentious items, there is nothing on those."
The country is expected to hold national elections this year or early next year after the completion of the making of a new constitution.
Head of State and Government and Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, President Mugabe has since made this position clear.
However, other members of the inclusive Government claim the environment is not yet conducive for polls.
The Sadc Extraordinary Summit on Zimbabwe held in South Africa last month encouraged parties to the GPA to move faster in the implementation of the GPA and create a conducive environment to the holding of fresh
The negotiators met in Harare yesterday and agreed on the timelines, which they said would guide the process to elections as advised by the extraordinary summit of Sadc Heads of State and Government in Sandton, South Africa last month.
Some of the agreed items on the elections roadmap include the lifting of the illegal sanctions, completion of the constitution-making process, media reforms, rule of law and amendments to electoral laws.
Zanu-PF negotiator Cde Patrick Chinamasa confirmed the development last night.
"The meeting went very well and we are concluding on Wednesday when we sign the agreed timelines. We limited ourselves on putting timeliness on the roadmap.
"I was delegated as the secretary to write today's (yesterday) minutes so I am going to produce the copy that will be signed by the negotiators on Wednesday (tomorrow)," said Cde Chinamasa who is also Minister of Justice and Legal Affairs.
He said areas of disagreement remained timeless, amo-ng them security sector reforms.
Zanu-PF has already said no to security sector reforms, adding Zimbabwe's security sector is highly professional and recognised in the world.
MDC representative Mrs Priscilla Misihairabwi-Musho-nga said there was consensus on the timelines, adding that the principals would look at the timelines set on issues raised in the roadmap before coming up with a posi- tion.
"There was consensus among the negotiators on the timelines. We never disagreed. However, we cannot disclose the timeframes now because we are still to sign on Wednesday.
"After we have signed, we will then give them to principals to look at them and decide on the way forward. We were process-specific, not event-specific as some people might have wished.
"We were looking at how long it would take to reach things on the roadmap. Sadc said we should indicate how long we think it is going to take to complete the process. We put timelines from sanctions to the actual holding of elections," said Mrs Misihairabwi-Mushonga, who is also the Minister of Regional Integration and International Co-operation.
MDC-T negotiator Mr Elton Mangoma, who is also the Minister of Energy and Power Development said: "We have put timelines on the agreed items, though I cannot get into detail.
"On contentious items, there is nothing on those."
The country is expected to hold national elections this year or early next year after the completion of the making of a new constitution.
Head of State and Government and Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, President Mugabe has since made this position clear.
However, other members of the inclusive Government claim the environment is not yet conducive for polls.
The Sadc Extraordinary Summit on Zimbabwe held in South Africa last month encouraged parties to the GPA to move faster in the implementation of the GPA and create a conducive environment to the holding of fresh
Source - TH
