Strive Masiyiwa, who says he has no interest in politics, drafted the agreement that resulted in the formation of an inclusive government in 2008, with some amendments, according to Wikileaks.
Though Masiyiwa’s agreement gave power to Movement for Democratic Change leader Morgan Tsvangirai as Prime Minister and reduced Robert Mugabe to a ceremonial president, Mugabe had executive powers when the inclusive government came into office and outmanouvred both factions of the MDC that formed the government with him.
Masiyiwa’s agreement advocated a power-sharing transitional government with a life of two years. Mugabe was to be Head of State (ceremonial) and Tsvangirai Head of Government as Prime Minister.
ZANU-PF and the MDC were each to appoint one Deputy Prime Minister. ZANU-PF’s Deputy Prime Minister was to be in charge of defense, and the MDC’s Home Affairs (police).
Masiyiwa had probably carved a post for himself as the parties were to “select five independent ministers, presumably technocrats, to head the Ministries of Finance, Justice, Land Resettlement, Agriculture, and State Enterprises (parastatals)”.
Masiyiwa was so powerful at the time that the MDC-T treasurer Roy Bennett complained that he had Tsvangirai on the leash.
Wikileaks says that both Tsvangirai and Mugabe, including his wife Grace, had accepted the agreement but “with several amendments, including that Mugabe would be allowed to serve as President indefinitely and would not have to retire at a certain time”.
Masiyiwa was, however, concerned that Emmerson Mnangagwa would resist an agreement, but thought that if an agreement appeared likely Mnangagwa would angle for a significant position in the new government.
Mnangagwa who was Minister for Rural Housing was elevated to Minister of Defence when the agreement was finally reached.
The United States did not want Mugabe to play any substantive role in the transitional government and was to speak to Tsvangirai about that.
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This post was last modified on August 29, 2018 8:37 am
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