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Zimbabwe's 'Gringo Dish', one year on
Alex Magaisa
September 18, 2009

http://www.newzimbabwe.com/columns-1001-Zimbabwes+Gringo+Dish,+one+year+on/columns.aspx

This week marked the first anniversary of the Global Political Agreement ("GPA") between ZANU PF and the two MDC parties. Signed amid pomp and ceremony on September 15, 2008, it became the basis of the Government of National Unity that has been in power since February 2009.

I still haven-t worked out why it is referred to as a 'global- agreement. Nobody has ever explained.

The term that came to mind when asked about the first year since the GPA was 'Gringo Dish". I first heard of it many years ago and have always understood it to denote a dish containing an unlimited number of incongruous ingredients.

It is a dish that you have, not out of free will, but because that-s what is on the table. You eat because you have to survive. So you squirm and close your eyes in pain whilst forcing it down the throat as a matter of necessity.

For that is what the first year has been: a mixture of everything - the sweet, the sour and the bitter. 'Gringo dish-, therefore, seemed to me to be an appropriate label. Here are some of the highlights (and lowlights) of the first year of the GPA:

A Painful Birth

If the July 18 Memorandum of Understanding ("MoU") was the notice of intention to marry, the September 15 GPA marked the certificate of marriage of convenience and you might add, necessity.

However, as it happened, the road leading to the matrimonial home from the wedding ceremony was rugged, full of potholes and detours it took months before the spouses finally settled in their new home.

I have to say that watching our politicians failing to solve minor disagreements was painful. But having to call outsiders again to put down the fires was embarrassing. That painful episode became the harbinger of worse things to come. It is hardly surprising that the lack of confidence and trust between the parties continues to be the defining feature of the GNU.

Plight of Mukoko & Others

Until December 2008, Jestina Mukoko was known to many of us as a talented and beautiful newsreader on national television. This was transformed overnight as her name became synonymous with the spate of abductions, torture and inhuman and degrading treatment in the wake of her ordeal at the hands of state agents.

She and numerous others who included a two-year-old toddler were abducted and kept in communicado for weeks and months. They were accused of plotting an armed insurrection to topple President Mugabe and his government. These cases caused a major dent on the image of the GNU. How can a government promising to turn a new leaf treat its citizens so appallingly? It was, quite frankly, distressing and embarrassing.

Roy Bennett Affair

Like Mukoko, Roy Bennett found himself behind bars. PM Tsvangirai nominated him to be the deputy minister of agriculture. President Mugabe has consistently and steadfastly resisted demands to swear him into office so that he can commence his national duty. His arrest, the refusal to swear him in and the background of the hostile treatment that he has received, first as a farmer and second as an MP have all caused a lot of damage to the GNU. It is clearly an understatement to say that someone powerful has a particular and virulent dislike for Mr Bennett. But his case will continue to dog the GNU.

Gono-Tomana Controversy & "Outstanding Issues"

No other issue has evidenced the uneasy relationship between the GNU partners than the brouhaha over the twin appointments of Johannes Tomana as the Attorney General and Gideon Gono as the central bank governor.

The long-running battle between Gono and Minister of Finance Tendai Biti, in particular, has been acrimonious and filthy with plots and sub-plots involving the laundering of much dirty linen before the public. The MDC is unhappy with these appointments which is considers to be 'outstanding issues-. ZANU PF says these are presidential appointments which were made in accordance with the letter of the constitution. The MDC says they were not within the spirit of the GPA.

This is a clash that has damaged the working relationship between the partners and will remain a divisive factor in the future. The phrase 'outstanding issues- has been used so often that knowing the tradition of naming children after topical words or events, I would not be surprised if new babies have been named after it. Perhaps in years to come some poor kids will have to answer to the name 'Outstanding-!

Tsvangirai-s Western Voyage

Soon after his appointment, the new Prime Minister embarked on a trip to the West, to rebuild a broken relationship and to also ask for life support to resuscitate a comatose economy. The Shona proverb, 'Murombo haarove chine nguo- comes to mind. It literally means a poor man-s luck is so limited that when he goes hunting the best he can catch are the smallest of animals, i.e. those without skin. Mr Tsvangirai was warmly received in such grand environs as the White House in the US where he met President Barack Obama, probably the world-s most popular politician. They shook hands, they smiled and they were happy. But on return Mr Tsvangirai-s bag contained only a few hares, birds and little promises. Zimbabwe has to do more, he was told.

Media

The GPA contained undertakings to reform the media with a view to opening up space and promoting the freedom of expression. One year later, little has changed and the state media continues to be dominated by and engineered towards promoting one party. The Prime Minister-s office has had to communicate to the public through a newsletter.

There were moves in June to constitute the Zimbabwe Media Commission ("ZMC") which is designed to regulate the media. Interviews were conducted to select the new commissioners. Some prominent names are reported to have fared less well and this is the most polite way of putting it. This transparent process did not please some people. If the interview process was a flash of light in a dark and hideous tunnel it was quickly extinguished as the process seems to have stalled. It is fair to say it was no more than a flame in a violent hurricane.
Constitutional Reforms

If the MDC entered the GNU with a view to enabling the creation of a legal platform that is conducive for free and fair elections, its hopes have been arrested by the stalled constitutional reform process.

If the GNU has moved at a snail-s pace, the constitutional reform process has been chameleonic at best. In fact, it-s as if someone is deliberately holding the chameleon by the tail ensuring it goes nowhere soon. It has barely moved. Someone somewhere has no desire whatsoever for a new constitutional dispensation.

Farm Seizures

Almost a decade after the first farm seizures, nothing has changed. It begs the question, if there is real and genuine desire to deal with this matter once and for all, why has it taken so long to grab all the farms? Or is there some careful planning in this apparent chaos? Could it be that this matter must continue for as long as possible, grabbing a few farms at a time and ensuring that the 'land-reform process- remains a 'key issue- on the agenda? How long will this tragic drama go on? If there is real seriousness, why not just grab them all at once and say the 'war- is over so they can get on with business and start producing food for the nation?

Somehow, I have a feeling the show will go on for years to come because the justification to maintain power must always be on the basis of accomplishing the 'historic mission-. Sadly, the GNU has suffered and will suffer for it.
Sanctions

ZANU PF has never been happy with the targeted sanctions regime imposed by Western countries in the last decade. It blames them for the country-s economic collapse. It also blames the MDC for calling for sanctions. The MDC appears to have acknowledged the debilitating effect of sanctions although they have referred to them as 'restrictive measures-. However, neither party has the power to lift sanctions. The Western countries have shown no inclination to lift the sanctions as yet. It is fair to say that the baby has not received the warmest of welcomes from some in the world community.

The Gravy Train

Unsurprisingly, it didn-t take long for the Honourables in Parliament to demand their seats on the gravy train. MPs wanted their automobiles, the 4 x 4 variety made in foreign territories. They said these types of vehicles were best suited to the country-s roads, itself an admission that the road network was less than pleasant. Never mind everyone else, we are MPs, they seemed to be saying.

When there seemed to be some delay, the ever-generous Guvnor, 'Your Governor- was on hand to offer automobiles to the Honourables. The suggestion to purchase the vehicles from the local Willowvale Mazda Motor Company was at first rejected. Someone later seemed to have come to their senses.

For their part, ministers bagged their multiple automobiles. One was quoted as having remarked that Mercedes Benz is a sign of power. Indeed. Only David Coltart, the Education Minister in charge of thousands of restless and penurious teachers had the decency to reject the ostentatious package. Long may the son of the soil be guided by a sense of responsibility and one hopes, a few more will be converted.

MDC MPs & the Law

Of the three political parties in government it would seem that one comprises of MPS who are consistently on the wrong side of the law. Unless, of course there is a conspiracy of persecution. Not less than ten MPs from the MDC-T have been arrested on various charges ranging from the alleged theft of a mobile telephone through to corruption, violence and rape.

It is remarkable that the law has been very kind to members of the party that has been in power for almost 30 years of violence, corruption and economic collapse. Unless, of course there is a conspiracy of protection. Either way, the GNU-s tenure has been blighted by accusations of the selective application of the law.

Our dear ZimDollar

The Zimbabwe Dollar was finally rested in 2009. Ok, it had long been in the intensive care unit. In fact, it had been amputated a few times, losing the accumulating zeroes but like a fertile tree that-s been pruned, the shoots grew relentlessly, fertilised by the economic and political chaos in the country.

Indeed, it may have died a few times but each time it experienced miraculous resurrections not seen since Biblical times. The GNU finally put it to rest, or so we thought.

The replacement multi-currency system ushered in the US Dollar and the SA Rand as the dominant currencies. Although of course they had been the principal currencies of choice in the parallel market, the new move simply formalised the existing system. This has tamed inflation though this reduction is no indication of a revived economy.

The only trouble is that the US Dollar "harisi kubatika" (it-s hard to get), as that man called Champion said at the funeral in Njanja, when he asked for just a 'dhora- (dollar) to process maize into maize-meal for his family. Of late however, there have been indications of attempts to exhume and resurrect the ZimDollar. I wonder why?

Conclusion

There is more that has happened during the year that cannot be captured in a piece this size. Suffice to say, it has been a year of mixed fortunes. Things seemed to have moved. Then again, things seemed to have hardly moved. Perhaps, as they say, old habits die hard. It is difficult to tell whether next year this time we will be reviewing the second anniversary of the GPA. It could be that we will be carrying a post-mortem of the GNU. Without trust and confidence between the partners, there will be little improvement. Without a serious commitment and genuine will, the credibility of the GNU will continue to be held in extreme doubt.

Alex Magaisa is based at, Kent Law School, the University of Kent and can be contacted on e-mail wamagaisa@yahoo.co.uk

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