Zimbabwe

Power Sharing in Zimbabwe

President Mugabe and Prime Minister Tsvangirai are deadlocked over the division of the posts in the cabinet. Mugabe, who represents the Zanu-PF, will ultimately lose power because the rivaling MDC party will soon take control of 16 cabinet positions, thus leaving 15 positions for the Zanu-PF. But, President Mugabe plans to still control the government by claiming the most important cabinet positions. The breakaway faction, MDC, will continue to insist on having an equally powerful position in the government.

Zimbabwe’s economy was close to ruined going into the 2008 elections thus reviving it has been at the top of both Mugabe’s and Tsvangirai’s agenda. One must put blame on Mugabe’s prior presidencies for the nation’s current situation, and to think he was able to control most of the cabinet. Now, there’s a new party that seeks change. But, in order to make change, it must have more control of the government. So, the current position is how the two parties will balance their powers. If their powers are equally balanced, the ability for the government to work together on major issues like inflation, unemployment and poverty seems bleak. But, if the balance of powers cannot be achieved and the Zanu-PF attain control of the most powerful cabinet positions, then to, does the future of Zimbabwe seem bleak. The off-balance would create a security dilemma. The Zanu-PF is still in control of the army, but, the MDC have gained the police faction and the possibility of a civil war in the future is a possibility.

Realist

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7617731.stm

http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=15449:top-harare-bureaucrats-oppose-power-sharing-&catid=31:top%20zimbabwe%20stories&Itemid=66

September 26, 2008 at 11:53 am