After six months of political instability, politically motivated violence and amidst a worsening economic situation, the newly negotiated but unsigned power sharing agreement appears to be merely a pact between political elites but not an actual resolution of the Zimbabwean crisis.

“Over the last few weeks sources from the closed negotiations have given us a good indication that the real economic and constitutional reform which Zimbabwe needs and that people are demanding were not discussed at the negotiation table. We are concerned that the process of democracy has been taken out of the hands of the suffering people of Zimbabwe,” states Nicole Lee, Executive Director of TransAfrica Forum.

It appears from the negotiations maintain that ZANU-PF will retain control of the Zimbabwean military, the chairmanship of cabinet and the National Security Council, while the MDC’s leadership would assume the Prime Ministership and control of the economic ministries and the department of home affairs, which controls the police. TransAfrica Forum re-iterates its support for Zimbabwean civil society who have been critical of the negotiations that have focused on the power sharing of political elites and not real political and economic reform.

Presently, it is not known whether the demands for a two-year transitional period for parliament would be guaranteed over a full five-year parliamentary term.

“If the agreement is signed on Monday then the next process must be to ensure real political and economic rights for ordinary Zimbabwean citizens. That process is the most important and one that must address the demands of the Zimbabwean people. However, the potential of a Government of National Unity to tackle Zimbabwe’s economic decline and generate investment capitol is uncertain,” Roxanne Lawson, Director of Africa Policy at TransAfrica Forum.

Zimbabwe, as a nation, has an 80 percent official unemployment rate and an inflation ration of 11 million percent. It has been at the center of international attention since the March 29th elections. As the negotiations come to an end, the pace of economic decline is accelerating with the parallel market rate for the Zimbabwe dollar collapsing from Z$7,500 to the US dollar a week ago to Z$30,000 on Thursday, September 11th.

TransAfrica Forum is the leading U.S. advocacy organization for Africa and the African Diaspora in U.S. foreign policy. TransAfrica Forum helped lead the world protest against apartheid in South Africa and today works for human and economic justice for African people on the continent of Africa, in Latin America and in the Caribbean. www.transafricaforum.org

To schedule an interview contact Joia Nuri in the U.S. at 240-603-7905 or jnuri@transafricaforum.org