PRIME Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has crafted an ambitious government work plan that will see him closely monitor the performance of cabinet ministers and effectively thwart moves to usurp his authority by Zanu PF hardliners.

Sources said the plan that was approved by cabinet on Tuesday also puts a final stop to President Robert Mugabe’s attempts to undermine Tsvangirai through a controversial directive last month that sought to keep the supervision of ministers within the ambit of Zanu PF.

Misheck Sibanda, the Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet in January directed all ministers to report to Mugabe’s two vice-presidents — Joice Mujuru and John Nkomo instead of the PM.

The directive was hastily withdrawn after Tsvangirai and his MDC-T made it clear that he would not accept it.

According to the Government Work Programme (GWP) 2010, seen by the Standard, the PM and the Council of Ministers (CoM), which he chairs would introduce a tighter performance-monitoring mechanism for ministers.

The performance of the ministers would also be closely scrutinised by parliament, in what might be a first for the country since non-performing ministers have never been brought to account by Mugabe, in power since 1980.

Gorden Moyo, the Minister of State in the PM’s office, confirmed that Tsvangirai would launch the plan on March 31 in parliament before it is unveiled at official ceremonies.

Sources say this may go a long way in dispelling the notion that Tsvangirai is a lame  duck PM.

The monitoring of the ministers would rely primarily on monthly ministerial reports on progress against set plans, budget expenditure and results-based management reporting.

“This shall enable the office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers to monitor and evaluate the performance of ministries, against the ‘critical path targets’ identified in the government work programme,” reads the plan in part.

“The Prime Minister will introduce a progress report on the government work programme in each session of the Council of Ministers.”

In a foreword to the plan, Tsvangirai says it “sets clear targets on which the government’s performance can and should be judged.

“It is the key tool which shall be used to coordinate implementation of government policy.”

Tsvangirai says it would also help MPs “as the elected representatives of the people of Zimbabwe in their task of holding government ministers, their deputies and officials to account for their performance.”

Sources said the plan was passed unanimously by cabinet, which means it even has the support of some of the Zanu PF hardliners who initially resisted Tsvangirai’s authority soon after the formation of the unity government last year.

The PM also makes bold promises to deal with some of the issues that have threatened the existence of the coalition government such as sanctions, a comprehensive land audit and the continued disturbances on commercial farms,which have been blamed on Zanu PF supporters.

“Diplomatic re-engagement with the US with a view to influencing the Congress to repeal the Zimbabwe Democracy Recovery Act is key to the normalisation of international relations,” the plan says. “The same is true with the European Union, Canada and Australia amongst others.


“The GWP provides a road map for this to occur.”

It adds: “The priority for strengthening and ensuring restoration of the rule of law and respect for property rights is provided for in the GPA. In this respect, guarantees to rule of law and respect for property rights are dimensions of governance that the GWP has paid particular attention (to).”

But Tsvangirai’s plan leaves the securocrats, the powerful intelligence and security chiefs who have been accused of resisting the new order, untouched.

The plan says “the security cluster targets have not been included in this publication. A separate route has been chosen, motivating for their resolution through the auspices of the National Security Council (NSC).”

The NSC, which according to the GPA must replace the Joint Operations Command, made up of Mugabe loyalists in the security forces is barely operational.

Tsvangirai also commits government to conclude the constitution making process this year and also to strengthen the national healing programme as well as urgent reforms that would promote free and fair elections.

The debate on who has more powers between Mugabe and Tsvangirai has tended to distract the work of the unity government and some Zanu PF hardliners have even gone to the extent of forcing the state media to refer to the veteran leader as the Head of State and government and commander in chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces every time they mention his name.

The GPA gives Tsvangirai wide-ranging powers including the responsibility of overseeing formulation and implementation of government policies and the close supervision of ministers.

However, a number of unilateral decisions by Mugabe and the way the controversial empowerment regulations were introduced by Indigenisation Minister Saviour Kasukuwere have shown that Tsvangirai’s role is often undermined.

By The Standard