MORGAN TSVANGIRAI is not ready yet to bring down Zimbabwe’s powersharing government. But the prime minister’s deep frustration, equalled only by that of his Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), is clear. On Sunday, addressing a Bulawayo rally to mark the 10th anniversary of his party, he made clear his patience is running out.
“I am not going to stand by while Zanu (PF) continue to violate the law, persecute our members of parliament, spread the language of hate, invade our productive farms . . . ignore our international treaties,” he told thousands of supporters. One year since he signed the powersharing pact, the Global Political Agreement (GPA), with Robert Mugabe’s Zanu (PF) and seven months since the government was formed, Mr Tsvangirai has had every reason to doubt the former’s good faith.
“Power is not shared, but divided,” says political analyst Eldred Masunungure. And he argues that the distribution is heavily tilted in favour of the previous regime. Zanu (PF) still has a firm grip on the security forces, state media and the justice ministry. The MDC has been deeply frustrated by Mr Mugabe’s insistence on unilaterally appointing Gideon Gono to a renewed mandate as central bank chief and Johannes Tomanac as attorney general, by the continued foot-dragging in talks on a new constitution, the failure to appoint new provincial governors, and the continued brutal seizures of white-owned farms. Of huge concern has been the arrest of some 15 MDC MPs, with charges pressed against six so far. The MDC says this is a clear attempt to rewrite the maths of parliament to deprive the party of its majority there and in the constitutional talks.
Those concerns were rightly reflected in the refusal by a visiting EU delegation at the weekend to countenance the abandoning of sanctions. The EU, the country’s largest aid donor, will continue to give about €90 million a year in humanitarian aid along with a new €7.5 million for an education fund. But sanctions on Zimbabwean individuals and firms will not be lifted until the GPA has been fully implemented. Zimbabwe says it needs $10 billion in foreign reconstruction aid.
Despite the political and inherited economic difficulties, the MDC – which controls most of the economic ministries – has begun to have some success. Inflation in Zimbabwe has shrunk to among the lowest in sub-Saharan Africa and the economy is growing after nine years of contraction. But progress will be short-lived unless Mr Mugabe can be persuaded to lift his dead hand and honour his commitments.