1 zimbabwe election support network [zesn] - Nehanda Radio

formal government in place at a time when hard decisions are desperately needed to bail out
the country from its socioeconomic meltdown.
The two political parties engage in a dialogue in order to find a lasting solution to the political
impasse. Such a dialogue should however be guided by the “will of the people” as anything
short of that constitutes a truce and not a permanent settlement. There is no substitute for
negotiations. Lessons must be drawn from power-sharing experiences in other countries, the
most recent being the Kenyan case. Experiences must also be drawn from Zimbabwe’s first
Government of Unity as well as the Government of Unity following the 1987 Unity Accord.
While disagreement over the outcome of the elections rages on realities on the ground compel
the incumbent and the MDC leader to urgently engage each other or call for a fresh election
under a conducive environment and conditions that guarantee respect of the will of the people.
It is time for hard talk. However, promising as it is, the power sharing route is no stroll in a
garden park. Finding a solution to the Zimbabwe crisis is not going to be easy given the tangent
stance of the main political actors. How far each of them is prepared to climb down and how far
the mediator will slowly nudge them from their positions, will be decisive in determining either
the collapse or the success of the negotiations.
The fact that these negotiations are a follow-up to the 29 March and 27 June Elections makes
the negotiation process even more protracted and delicate as it is imperative for negotiators to
agree on what basis power sharing is based. Is it based on the 27 June poll or 29 March poll
results? This question is particularly burning given that both contenders have hard-line
positions on this sticky issue. How the mediator will handle this tricky question without
shortchanging the will of the people will prove a test case of his mediation management
capacity. It is also imperative to agree on who will head the proposed power sharing. Is the
nation heading for an MDC or ZANU PF–headed Government? Who will wield
executive/ceremonial powers? How are ministerial responsibilities to be shared? These
questions are particularly tricky given the ideological and personality differences and mistrust
between the two main political actors.
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