The Financial Gazette

Clemence Manyukwe, Political Editor

POLITICAL in-fighting seems to be the only constant factor that can be repeated with consistency and certainty in the inclusive government. Right now it is escalating.
After the year opened with cabinet in recession, the resumption of the meetings last week saw the coalition partners quickly settling in their groove.
Because of the rivalry between the coalition partners, the traditional principals’ meeting had to be aborted.
As if that was not enough, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai — the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T) leader — had to miss the year’s first cabinet meeting for unexplained reasons.
Lo and behold!
The Zimbabwe National Security Council, a platform where security chiefs meet the civilian leadership, was also cancelled amid tensions over the expiry of the terms of office of army commander, Constantine Chiwenga and police chief, Augustine Chihuri as tensions reached a crescendo.
This week, the Parliamentary Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs met in camera to discuss the possible amendment of the Presid-ential Powers (Temporary Measu-res) Act — a source of considerable powers for President Robert Mugabe. This development is certain to be viewed with suspicion     by ZANU-PF leaders, thereby fuelling friction in the coalition government.
The spotlight this year is however, likely to be on cabinet sessions.
Cabinet is an executive body of appointed government ministers; the most powerful in government.
Until 1987, cabinet was chaired by the Prime Minister but it is now headed by the President following amendments to the Constitution.
Cabinet consists of two vice-presidents, the prime-minister, two deputy prime-ministers, appointed ministers of government, and provi-ncial governors.
Its failure to meet last month was met with scathing criticism from members of the public who accused the executive of paralysing government functions.
Questions are still being asked as to whether the return of the President and the premier to duty would make any difference or they would continue to “fiddle while Rome burns”.
In the wake of recent events, analysts this week said the differences that are threatening to spiral out of control illustrate the enduring climate of mistrusts between the parties that has seen them failing to root out corruption and resuscitate the country’s economy since February 2009 when the Government of National Unity (GNU) came into force.
On Monday, political analyst Fambai Ngirande, said mounting tensions and in-fighting  in the coalition points to the hazards of not having a democratically elected, constitution abiding and accountable government as is the current case with  the GNU that came by way of compromise.
“The GNU has always been an inherently dysfunctional enterprise comprised of uneasy bedfellows with conflicting priorities and visions on how the country should be run. Of course all manner of tension was bound to arise. The real tragedy is the leaders’ inability to rein in the pettiness, inflated egos and corrupt tendencies to enable key players in the GNU to do their work as public servants,” Ngirande said.
He added that like the issue of provincial governors in the past, the latest jostling for service chiefs’     positions underscores the fact that in the inclusive government power and positions take precedence over the welfare of the people.
Ngirande said the typhoid crisis; the civil service strikes, high unemployment and other concerns do not warrant as much attention from the President and the premier as does positions.
“It is sad that the same elite presiding over this dysfunctional coalition are the same people standing in the way of constitutional and other transitional reforms that should have, by now, readied the nation for fresh elections. The people have become twice losers; stuck in-between a government that is predisposed to fail and a situation that prevents them from choosing new leaders to rectify the situation,” added Ngirande.
“There is no excuse for the signatories of the Global Political Agreement’s failure to ensure that the reforms that they signed for should have been accomplished by now. They have failed as leaders. They have rendered worthless the blood and toil of every Zimbab-wean that has suffered for freedom since the times of Mbuya Nehanda.”
Economic commentator, Eric Bloch, said the escalating tensions in the inclusive government come at a huge cost for the country.
He predicted that instead of a projected economic growth of 9,4 percent announced by Finance Minister, Tendai Biti, there would in fact be economic contraction.
Bloch said more and more external financial institutions and countries would shy away from extending financial loans or assistance to Zimbabwe going forward as no-one wants to risk bad debts.
He gave the example of South Africa, which last week extended a 350 million Rand loan facility to far-off Cuba, part of which would assist the South Americans in purchasing agricultural inputs, when nearby Zimbabwe’s farming sector is crying for such help.
According to a press statement issued following the signing of the deal between the two countries, the agreement is divided into three: Cuba shall use R5 million of the loan to purchase seeds specifically in the South African market, and the remainder of R35 million may be used for the purchase of seeds from any other country including South Africa.
The agreement says US$14 million (R100 million) is a solidarity grant, which shall not be repaid, while South Africa expects Cuba to repay another trench of R210 million.
Bloch cited in-fighting in government as the reason behind the reluctance by external countries or financial institutions to support Zimb-abwe.
“Until elections have been held, we are going to witness intensified reluctance on the part of foreign investors to invest in Zimbabwe    and a similar reluctance on the       part of foreign banks to advance loans, which are critically needed      by Zimbabwe in order to support    the survival of businesses,” said Bloch.
“At the same time, the political instability is further weakening business confidence throughout Zimb-abwe and therefore we are likely to see further downsizing and closures of many businesses resulting in economic contraction instead of the targeted recovery.”