Power-sharing talks between Zimbabwe's ruling ZANU-PF party and the two formations of the opposition Movement
for Democratic Change were set to resume Sunday, sources said.
When they get back to the table in Pretoria, negotiators will be discussing the mechanics of governing together and looking at three models for power-sharing.
The first model resembles the country's first government in 1980 - an executive prime minister and a ceremonial president.The second would be like the present arrangement: an executive president with a number of vice presidents. The third is the Kenyan model with a prime minister and a president, each having specific and significant functions.
The Kenyan model is said to be favored by all parties to the talks, but sources cautioned that they will probably come up with some uniquely Zimbabwean hybrid.
Sources privy to the discussions say mediator and South African President Thabo Mbeki is also considering the option of holding sidebar discussions with senior army, police, and intelligence officers, as the opposition has requested be done.
They said that while President Robert Mugabe has publicly stated he is willing to compromise and has expressed willingness to let opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai serve as premier, ZANU-PF hardliners and the so-called "securocrats" could try to block such a deal.
For perspective reporter Blessing Zulu of VOA's Studio 7 for Zimbabwe turned to Peter
Kagwanja, head of the Africa Policy Institute in Pretoria, who said that the
“securocrats” must be involved in the talks as they exercise most of the real power in Harare.
More reports from VOA's Studio 7 for Zimbabwe...
