partisan politics”. 51 In 1996, a large public service strike was led by junior doctors, nurses and teachers. Strike leaders were arrested and large numbers of workers dismissed. 52 100. There were further strikes in 1997 in the public and private sectors. Farm workers staged wildcat strikes, protesting against a deadlock in the annual collective bargaining round between their union, GAPWUZ, and the employers’ association, the Agricultural Labour Bureau; the result of the strike was a larger pay increase than ever before. 53 A one-day general strike called by the ZCTU received support from both workers and employers. 54 At this time, the National Economic Consultative Forum was established, although the ZCTU chose not to participate. In 1998, further industrial action, including a general strike, ended with police and army intervention. 101. In 1999, the labour movement joined with opposition groups to form a political opposition: the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC). The leadership of the MDC drew strongly on trade unionists from the ZCTU. In 2000, a programme of state-sanctioned land redistribution of white-owned commercial farms began, with the aim of transferring the ownership of prime agricultural land from a small number of white farmers to indigenous Zimbabweans. In 2001, a state-supported referendum on a new constitution, limiting future presidential mandates to a maximum of two consecutive terms of five years and with no retrospective effect, was defeated. 102. ZANU–PF and the MDC contested parliamentary elections in 2005 and 2008, and presidential elections in 2002 and 2008. During the 2008 presidential elections, and particularly in relation to the run-off elections in June 2008, there was significant violence involving supporters of the two main political parties and police. Soon after the elections, negotiations between the major political parties began, mediated by the Southern African Development Community (SADC). 103. A Global Political Agreement (GPA) on “resolving the challenges facing Zimbabwe” was signed on 15 September 2008 by the three main political parties – ZANU–PF and the two MDC formations (MDC–T and MDC–M) – and witnessed by Mr Thabo Mbeki, the then President of South Africa, as the SADC facilitator. The GPA includes provisions, among others, on the restoration of economic stability and growth, sanctions and external interference, the land question, constitutional reform, promotion of equality, national healing, cohesion and unity. It reiterated guarantees to political freedom, the rule of law, freedom of assembly, association and expression, and respect for national institutions, and affirmed the apolitical nature of state organs and institutions, the role of traditional leaders and youth, and the principle of equality in provision of humanitarian and food assistance. By the Agreement, the parties agreed to promote tolerance, respect, non-violence and dialogue as a means of resolving political differences. 104. Pursuant to the GPA, President Robert Gabriel Mugabe, from ZANU–PF, remained as President of Zimbabwe. Mr Morgan Tsvangirai from MDC–T became Prime Minister and Mr Arthur Mutambara from MDC–M became Deputy Prime Minister. Ministerial roles were divided among the parties, as agreed by the “principals” of the parties in the months following the signature of the GPA. 51 Dansereau (1997), op. cit., p. 113. 52 Raftopoulos, B., 2000, “The labour movement and the emergence of opposition politics in Zimbabwe”, in Labour, Capital and Society, 33:2, pp. 256–286, pp. 268–9. 53 Rutherford, op. cit., pp. 208–9. 54 Raftopoulos, op. cit., pp. 270–271; see also Dansereau (2000), op. cit., p. 244. Meetings-2009-Zimbabwe C of I-2009-12-0035-3-En.doc/v3 37