Summary In September 2008 the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) and the two factions of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party agreed to form a powersharing government, formed officially in February 2009. But over four years after the Global Political Agreement (GPA) was signed little progress has been made on one of the key aspects of the GPA that aimed at preparing the country for credible, free and fair elections. The legal and institutional reforms that are expected to address various political, institutional and human rights issues ahead of the 2013 elections have either not been introduced or are not being implemented. The so-called unity government, whose partners are anything but united, consisting of the former ruling ZANU-PF and the two MDC factions has failed to hold accountable those responsible for past human rights abuses, including during the 2008 electoral violence. It has also failed to reform key state institutions responsible for the administration of justice, which remain highly politicized and extremely partisan towards ZANU-PF. The main purpose of the GPA was to establish institutional and legal reforms to create a conducive environment for the holding of free and fair elections.1 The formation of the unity government, however, left longtime President Robert Mugabe and ZANU-PF—because of their control of key government ministries including defense, state security and justice— with significantly greater power than the MDC, which has been used to frustrate or stop crucial reforms. On a number of occasions since the unity government assumed office President Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai of the MDC have issued joint public statements condemning political violence but with no corresponding action to dismantle the infrastructure of violence and end impunity. 1 “Agreement between the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (Zanu-PF) and the Two Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) Formations, on Resolving the Challenges Facing Zimbabwe” (Global Political Agreement or GPA), September 15, 2008. 1 HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH | JANUARY 2013