Zimbabwe Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai on Tuesday called on Southern Africa’s political bloc to closely monitor the progress of his power-sharing deal with President Robert Mugabe.
He said the 15-nation Southern African Development Community (SADC) “remains seized with the enormous responsibility of ensuring that the parties signatory” to the February agreement “move rapidly towards its full implementation”.
Tsvangirai was speaking at a press conference on the sidelines of a SADC summit in the Democratic Republic of Congo capital, Kinshasa, adding that he was attending the summit in his capacity as leader of the former opposition Movement for Democratic Change party (MDC).
“Now that the SADC troika is specifically vested with the matter of Zimbabwe, it is my hope and belief that it will deal with all outstanding issues as a matter of urgency,” he said
Tsvangirai’s MDC and long-time rival President Robert Mugabe’s Zanu-PF signed a deal to form a unity government in February, but the parties have clashed openly over the appointment of a central bank chief and chief prosecutor.
On Monday, South African President Jacob Zuma said Zimbabwe has made significant progress towards ending its political crisis as its once feuding leaders learn to bury their differences.
Speaking at the summit in Kinshasa, Zuma also said Southern Africa had to remain on hand to help Zimbabwe push on after the establishment of the unity government.
“Significant progress has been made under the auspices of the Inclusive Government,” said Zuma, who is standing down as head of SADC after South Africa’s 12-month stint in the chair.
“We are all encouraged by how the three parties put their differences aside.”
Zimbabwe was plunged into political crisis in March 2008 after veteran leader Robert Mugabe was beaten into second place in a presidential election by Morgan Tsvangirai, his long-time rival.
Tsvangirai subsequently pulled out of a run-off election after scores of his supporters were killed, but he eventually agreed to join a unity government in February this year as prime minister, along with another opposition faction.
“These achievements signalled to the people of Zimbabwe, the region and the world, that the Zimbabwean political leadership was ready to collectively tackle the political and the socio-economic challenges facing that country,” added Zuma. — AFP