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The inclusive Government came into being on February 11, 2009 in line with the signing of the Global Political Agreement in September 2008.
While the arrangement has no minimum lifespan, the arrangement is supposed to be reviewed after two year.
Furthermore, should any party feel it can no longer go on with the arrangement, that formation can pull out and — as a consequence — trigger elections.
President Mugabe has already indicated that he would not be comfortable in the arrangement for more than six months after the initial two-year period because of his partners’ insincerity.
MDC-T on the other hand has been trying to backtrack from elections after having declared two years ago that they would want elections.
A factor that could trigger the elections is the leadership battle in MDC where professors Arthur Mutambara and Welshman Ncube disagree on who the party principal is.
Yesterday, constitutional law expert Dr Lovemore Madhuku said, “The inclusive Government has a maximum term limit of five years, it has no minimum period. There is a provision, however, that the parties will review the agreement after the constitution-making process and at the time the GPA was signed that period was expected to be two years. The parties had a political understanding that within two years we would go to elections, so it is up to them to decide the course of action to take.”
Dr Madhuku said any of the parties could walk out of the agreement and collapse the inclusive Government.
Political analyst Mr Godwine Mureriwa said the three parties were likely to extend the inclusive Government by about six months.
“The inclusive Government was established as a stop-gap measure and I think it will be extended to give the constitution-making process a chance. I think elections will be held later this year.”
Mr Mureriwa said a lack of unity of purpose among the parties could necessitate holding of elections.
University of Zimbabwe political science lecturer, Professor Eldred Masunungure, echoed these sentiments and suggested elections could be held between August and November.
“The parties will likely extend the term by six to 12 months to facilitate completion of the constitution. This means elections could be held between August and early November or in March next year.”
Zanu-PF spokesperson Cde Rugare Gumbo said his party was not happy with the inclusive Government’s performance but would wait for directions from its leader and First Secretary, President Mugabe.
“We assented to the inclusive Government because of the inconclusive nature of elections. We supported the constitution-making process . . . but we are obviously unhappy beca-use there seems to be no unity of purpose. One party seems to be taking positions from foreign dictates. Our actual position will, however, be guided by our principal,” he said. MDC-T spokesperson Mr Nelson Chamisa said two years were insignificant.
“There is nothing mentioned in the GPA about the two years apart from the annual reviews, so we are ready to continue serving in the Government.”
MDC president Welshman Ncube said: “We have repeatedly, over the past 12 months, said that there is no clause in the GPA that it expires on February 11.”
Online Reporter