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 The Head of State and Government and Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, President Robert Mugabe, has joined other SADC leaders at the Joaquin Chissano Conference Centre in Maputo, Mozambique, for the official opening of the 32nd SADC ordinary summit.
The summit will see Angola, which is being represented by its Vice President Fernando da Piedade dos Santos, as the representative of the outgoing chairperson, hand over the SADC chairperson’s badge to incoming chairperson, Mozambican President Armando Guebuza.
The new Malawian President Joyce Banda and Zambian President Michael Sata are also expected to give their maiden speech during the official opening of the summit.
This will be followed by closed door sessions that are expected to deliberate on various issues affecting the region.
SADC facilitator to Zimbabwe’s Gloal Political Agreement, President Jacob Zuma, will present seven resolutions proposed by the SADC Troika regarding progress made on the constitution-making process during the deliberations.
Briefing journalists on the outcome of the SADC Troika meeting held in Maputo last night, Zanu PF chief negotiator Patrick Chinamasa said President Zuma will present the recommendations following his meetings with the principals in Harare.
Cde Chinamasa could not be drawn into revealing detail about the proposed resolutions, but noted that they were no disagreements from all parties on the proposed recommendations on the troika.
Asked on the way forward and Zanu PF’s position regarding the constitution, he said the revolutionary party will not be forced by any party or the summit to rubber stamp the draft constitution or allow any imperfections to be taken to the Second All-Stakeholders People’s Conference.
The tale of the two MDC professors - Mutambara and Ncube – is also reported to have taken centre stage during the troika meeting, with Professor Mutambara accusing President Zuma of side-lining him as a principal to the GPA.
MDC-M president Professor Welshman Ncube also complained that he is being excluded from GPA principals meetings back home despite the High Court ruling that ruled in favour of him as the principal of the GPA.
The Zanu PF delegation to the troika is being led by President Mugabe, flanked by the Defence Minister, Cde Emmerson Mnangagwa and chief negotiators Patrick Chinamasa and Nicholas Goche.
Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai is leading his camp comprising chief negotiators Elton Mangoma, Tendai Biti and Jameson Timba.
Professor Ncube and Ms Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga are representing the MDC-M, while Professor Mutambara is fighting by himself.
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