Suggestions to Negotiators and Principals of the GPA in Zimbabwe- A Way Forward
By Ocean Marambanyika, University of Oslo, Norway
Negotiations on the power sharing deal have been going on for some time but it seems there is limited or no movement at all. We as general Zimbabweans have a right to suggest a final way forward to break the deadlock. Negotiators should focus on aspects that matter as opposed to issues of self interests. Here are some suggestions on how to break the ice.
Public Televised Discussion by the GPA Principals
The three Principals should go live on national television and inform people what is going on. These three leaders should publicly debate their thoughts on radio and national television. They should tell people in the debate about their positions on how to improve the economy, investment, mining laws, indigenization laws, free elections, international election observers, the land issue, role of the media, international relations, the issue of a new constitution, justice and reconciliation and on succession issues. These are the deciding issues that leaders of Zimbabwe should discuss directly to the public via nationally televised debates. During the debates the general public should be allowed to make calls and comment or air their opinions. It is these people`s opinions that will give the squabbling leaders the real knowledge of what people really want.
Why are the GPA Negotiations so Secret?
Ongoing negotiations between the coalition partners are sounding like bedroom matters for a private family. The ongoing negotiations should be opened to the public. People should know what is being negotiated on their behalf. The 1992 Oslo Peace Accords between Israel and The Palestine failed because it was too secretive to such an extent that its negotiators feared to take responsibility of what they had negotiated. If the negotiators go live on national television and debate their positions to the people of Zimbabwe, then it will be difficult for them to mislead the public. This strategy has worked well in countries that are governed via coalition systems like in Norway, Sweden, German and Denmark. I have studied coalition governments in these countries and the only way they can succeed is to go public on radio and TV and debate their positions to the public. The public has a right to call or become part of the audience during the debates and contribute their views. In this way politicians can become accountable for their public statements.
Why the GPA will not solve the current issues
The negotiators in the GPA have been misleading people on what is really happening in the negotiations. By so doing the political leaders are already planting the seeds of a non-transparent climate in Zimbabwe. What people desire is to have a political system that is clean and transparent. Transparency is a key index that creates long lasting conditions for peace and stability. If there is transparency it becomes easy for a councilor who loses an election to accept defeat as there will be no alternative to the contrary. What Zimbabwe wants now is openness, freedom of opinionating and transparency.
There is a possible danger that most members in the coalition arrangement do not want the problems in the GPA to be resolved. People should not be surprised that maybe a majority of MPs and cabinet occupants are comfortable in the status quo. Members from all the political parties might fear losing their positions if a new election is held. As such it is very possible that these members are secretly agreeing to make sure that the GPA goes for as long as they can hold on in order for them to safeguard their personal political gains. Who thinks this is not possible? The current flow events points to such possibilities.
Way forward
A new constitution followed by an internationally supervised election is part of the keys to a way forward in this challenge. Organs like SADC and the African Union should play a key role in making sure that in the event of an election, people can vote freely without fears. Leaders and contestants should publicly debate their views live on national radio and television before the elections so that people will be able to choose their leaders freely based on their competencies. A clear mechanism of dealing with those who refuse to accept defeat should be drafted and availed to the public. Peaceful and transparent procedures to deal with election related disputes should be put in place in order to avoid violent reactions. The leaders should not fear the people. They should do as people want them to do to improve the people`s living conditions. Such are the critical ways forward to tackle the challenges Zimbabwe is facing today.
Ocean Marambanyika is a Peace, Security and Conflict Expert in the Department of Peace and Conflict Studies, University of Oslo, Norway. Email: oceaniamars@yahoo.no
By Ocean Marambanyika, University of Oslo, Norway
Negotiations on the power sharing deal have been going on for some time but it seems there is limited or no movement at all. We as general Zimbabweans have a right to suggest a final way forward to break the deadlock. Negotiators should focus on aspects that matter as opposed to issues of self interests. Here are some suggestions on how to break the ice.
Public Televised Discussion by the GPA Principals
The three Principals should go live on national television and inform people what is going on. These three leaders should publicly debate their thoughts on radio and national television. They should tell people in the debate about their positions on how to improve the economy, investment, mining laws, indigenization laws, free elections, international election observers, the land issue, role of the media, international relations, the issue of a new constitution, justice and reconciliation and on succession issues. These are the deciding issues that leaders of Zimbabwe should discuss directly to the public via nationally televised debates. During the debates the general public should be allowed to make calls and comment or air their opinions. It is these people`s opinions that will give the squabbling leaders the real knowledge of what people really want.
Why are the GPA Negotiations so Secret?
Ongoing negotiations between the coalition partners are sounding like bedroom matters for a private family. The ongoing negotiations should be opened to the public. People should know what is being negotiated on their behalf. The 1992 Oslo Peace Accords between Israel and The Palestine failed because it was too secretive to such an extent that its negotiators feared to take responsibility of what they had negotiated. If the negotiators go live on national television and debate their positions to the people of Zimbabwe, then it will be difficult for them to mislead the public. This strategy has worked well in countries that are governed via coalition systems like in Norway, Sweden, German and Denmark. I have studied coalition governments in these countries and the only way they can succeed is to go public on radio and TV and debate their positions to the public. The public has a right to call or become part of the audience during the debates and contribute their views. In this way politicians can become accountable for their public statements.
Why the GPA will not solve the current issues
The negotiators in the GPA have been misleading people on what is really happening in the negotiations. By so doing the political leaders are already planting the seeds of a non-transparent climate in Zimbabwe. What people desire is to have a political system that is clean and transparent. Transparency is a key index that creates long lasting conditions for peace and stability. If there is transparency it becomes easy for a councilor who loses an election to accept defeat as there will be no alternative to the contrary. What Zimbabwe wants now is openness, freedom of opinionating and transparency.
There is a possible danger that most members in the coalition arrangement do not want the problems in the GPA to be resolved. People should not be surprised that maybe a majority of MPs and cabinet occupants are comfortable in the status quo. Members from all the political parties might fear losing their positions if a new election is held. As such it is very possible that these members are secretly agreeing to make sure that the GPA goes for as long as they can hold on in order for them to safeguard their personal political gains. Who thinks this is not possible? The current flow events points to such possibilities.
Way forward
A new constitution followed by an internationally supervised election is part of the keys to a way forward in this challenge. Organs like SADC and the African Union should play a key role in making sure that in the event of an election, people can vote freely without fears. Leaders and contestants should publicly debate their views live on national radio and television before the elections so that people will be able to choose their leaders freely based on their competencies. A clear mechanism of dealing with those who refuse to accept defeat should be drafted and availed to the public. Peaceful and transparent procedures to deal with election related disputes should be put in place in order to avoid violent reactions. The leaders should not fear the people. They should do as people want them to do to improve the people`s living conditions. Such are the critical ways forward to tackle the challenges Zimbabwe is facing today.
Ocean Marambanyika is a Peace, Security and Conflict Expert in the Department of Peace and Conflict Studies, University of Oslo, Norway. Email: oceaniamars@yahoo.no
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