From the Independent:

THE Government of National Unity (GNU) turned three on Monday. Zimbabwe Independent Senior Political Editor Faith Zaba (FZ) spoke to MDC-T Secretary-General, Tendai Biti (TB), also a negotiator, on elections, constitution-making, successes and of the current coalition.  Find below excerpts from the interview.

FZ: There have been contradictory statements on the expiry of the GNU among parties to the agreement. What is the lifespan of the GNU?

TB: Anyone who says the GPA had a lifespan of two years clearly did not read the agreement itself or constitutional Amendment No 19. The only sunset clause is the constitution which demands that whether we like it or not, elections must be held in 2013.

FZ: Why have those 24 agreed issues (in the GPA) not been implemented? Is it lack of commitment on the principals’ part?

TB:  I think the principals are committed but I get the feeling that there is a gap between the principals and the bureaucracy. The bureaucracy must implement agreements and directives of their principals. One of the greatest weaknesses of the GPA is that while we created an oversight role in Jomic, it operates at macro-level.

So in retrospect, maybe there should have been a sub-committee of cabinet consisting of vice-presidents and deputy prime ministers to deal with implementation.

Some “respected” news agencies still refer to Zanu PF as Zimbabwe’s ruling party. Another did call Mugabe the “Zimbabwean tyrant”! Talk about accuracy issues in the media!!!

I went to a breakfast meeting on recycling a couple of weeks ago. Met a woman there, up from Bulawayo (working for the ZNCC I think).

She was amazed at the cosmetics freely on sale in the shops here in Harare. Hair straighteners, skin lighteners – those imported female beauty products. All banned under Zimbabwean law. All dangerous.

She remarked, if you tried to sell those openly in Bulawayo, the police would have you in jail in half an hour. But here in Harare! All sitting there, on the shelves. From opening to closing time.

So, got to wonder. Do the ZRP in Harare not know what Zimbabwe’s laws are? Or do the police in Harare (as opposed to the ZRP in Bulawayo) not actually enforce the laws of Zimbabwe? They are too busy enforcing the laws of the power. They do not handle legitimacy, they only deal with power. They do not care about health and safety in Harare, and legal implications, they only enforce the (outgoing) power of the city (which is no longer a power in Bulawayo).

Walking through town the other day, a friend and I thought twice before taking the road that goes in back of State House. You know the one – up past the Harare Sports Club and Royal Harare Golf Club on the one side, and past the camouflage-wearing, gun-toting, State House-guarding soldiers on the other. We didn’t have ID on us, and the stories of people getting harassed on that road by officious guards are countless.

But we took a deep breath, and in the interest of claiming our freedom and refusing to bow to intimidation or self-censorship we carried on.

We were nearly out of the woods when a soldier – yes complete with camouflage, helmet,  and bayonet readied gun, called to us across the road -

Armed soldier in camouflage: Hello.
Me: Hello.
Armed soldier in camouflage: How is the morning?
Me: Good thanks, how’s yours?
Armed soldier in camouflage: How is the day?
Me: Good thanks, how’s yours?
Armed soldier in camouflage: Can I have your number?
Me: [Silence]
Armed soldier in camouflage: I need to phone you.
Me: [Turns to face him with a puzzled expression]
Armed soldier in camouflage: Bahahahaha [Packs out laughing like he’s just told the best joke ever.]

Harassment, yes. But not quite the kind of harassment I’d been worried about.

The Zimbabwe Justice Project calls for people across the country to take action to stop the violence and to stand up for their rights. The first step is to report all the people who have committed acts of violence and to ensure that they are held accountable. Victims of violence are asked to fill in “Stop the Violence” forms, which can be downloaded here