Finally Zimbabwe’s major political players have reached an agreement on a framework for negotiations. The memorandum of understanding signed in Harare on Monday paves the way for talks on how the Zimbabwe situation can be amicably resolved. What are the major expectations of Zimbabweans? What can be the best result or outcome of the negotiations? Will they come to fruition and what are the expectations of the international community? What can Zimbabweans expect from the international community?

A positive outcome would entail any of the following: a government of national unity or a transitional authority paving way for elections. What is at stake is the composition of the two, particularly the GNU. What powers will be accorded to whom in a power sharing agreement. More importantly, what roles will Mugabe and Tsvangirai play? Will they share executive powers or will Mugabe agree to a titular Presidency while Tsvangirai runs the show or will we see a typical French dual executive. In the French situation, the President derives his authority directly from the masses whilst the Prime Minister has the majority in parliament, both have executive powers though separated. They can be uncomfortable cohabitation when the Prime Minister and the President hail from different parties. This will be the situation in Zimbabwe. Can the cohabitation work well, and can they corporate for the good of the country?
In the Kenyan scenario, the President has been reduced almost to a titular role but not fully ceremonial. The experience so far is not showing as to the type of relationship and the efficiency of such a system besides political settlement. On the other hand if one is fully ceremonial, there is smooth and clear separation of powers and less friction. Is that situation feasible in our Zimbabwe? Will Mugabe, or more importantly will his lieutenants, agree to such? Important however will be the fact that the titular, ceremonial or executive head of state will be the head of the military. Unless if a German scenario whereby the Minister of defense is the commander in chief of the army, is tried. Question is where will the Minister come from, MDC or ZANU PF? How about a neutral person? or someone from neither parties. Such a person will need to have the support of the army however and that might prove difficult to come by.

The powers of the Parliament need to be reinvigorated so as to ensure more transparency and less friction between the President and the Prime Minister. Therefore, a clear separation of powers needs to be worked out. The Parliament should given more powers with respect to accountability of state machinery, the prime minister and the judiciary. Surely, what is clear is that there will be difficult cohabitation but it has to be achieved for the good of the country. Whether this can best be achieved under a GNU or a transitional authority is also important.

The economy needs urgent attention. Will the international community be willing to commit assistance in a Transitional Authority or more in a GNU with a longer mandate? The political players in the country have been advocating divergent modes to economic prosperity, how will they integrate their different blue prints in such a way that the country benefits in the short and long term.

Finally and more importantly, will the Zimbabwean generality be united once again? It is common that there is deep polarity in the country. How will the society be rehabilitated and confidence re-instilled? Will the people get a chance to author and contribute to a new constitution or will the new widely representative parliament deal with that. One can argue that the general populace is not ready to contribute to a new constitution as it will be filled with emotion, hate and polarity. Furthermore people would much rather concentrate on rebuilding while parliament deals with the constitution.

I posit a situation whereby the “winning party and the ruling party” Morgan Tsvangirai (2008) agree on a transitional authority to reign for 24months, with a mandate to facilitate smooth transition whereby the re-habilitation, reconstruction, re-engagement and revamping of the Zimbabwean society, morale, culture, legacy and future will take centre stage and priority, giving birth to a new people driven and backed authority; accountable, responsible and sovereign! Such a transitional authority should be shared equally by all Zimbabweans, but of course with leading roles from the MDC and ZANU PF.