VII. The Unity Government Response Zimbabwe’s unity government has failed to agree on crucial reforms to the security sector, which are central to leveling the political playing field and to creating a conducive environment for the holding of credible, free and fair elections. The partners in the unity government have only nominally agreed to write in the new constitution a principle already enshrined in the GPA and in current laws, that security services should be non-partisan, professional and impartial in the conduct of their duties. Beyond that, however, there has been no agreement on practical steps and actions to ensure that security services are in fact non-partisan, politically neutral and professional. On April 25, Prime Minister Tsvangirai as president of the MDC said in a press statement that security sector realignment has largely been a failure due to “a palpable deficit of political will.”69 In a resolution at the December 2009 ZANU-PF’s 5th congress, the party expressed opposition to any negotiations on security sector reforms.70 President Mugabe has repeatedly opposed security sector reform, including proposals made by the MDC. For instance, in July 2011, Mugabe told the ZANU-PF Central Committee that no security sector reform would be allowed in Zimbabwe, adding, "The so-called security sector reforms, all of them emanate from Western interests, are a proposition from an enemy who wishes to weaken us. We are not in the habit of taking advice from our enemies."71 In May 2011, Mugabe described security sector reform calls as “nonsense” adding that the security sector is “well-established” and so he will not allow it to be reformed.72 Mugabe and ZANU-PF have endorsed partisan conduct by military leaders on ZANU-PF’s behalf and rejected criticisms and resisted calls for disciplinary action. In the roadmap to elections that the political parties agreed to, a major outstanding issue on which there was no agreement related to the handling of the security forces to ensure independence and 69 MDC President, Morgan Tsvangirai Press Statement on Electoral Reforms, April 25, 2013. 70 5th ZANU-PF National People’s Congress Resolutions, December 9 – 13, 2009. 71 “Leave my generals: President,” The Herald, July 6, 2011. 72 “Zimbabwean president Mugabe rejects security sector reforms, retirement,” Ntungamili Nkomo, Studio 7 Voice of America, Zimbabwe, May 20, 2011, http://www.voazimbabwe.com/content/zimbabwean-president-mugabe-rejects-security- sector-reform-122348744/1457749.html (accessed April 20, 2013). THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM 30