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Talks, dialogue, negotiations and GNU - Post June 2008 "elections" - Index of articles
Mbeki
fails to break deadlock, parliament in first session
The Harare Tribune
October 14, 2008
View article
on the Harare Tribune website
Zimbabwe MPs have heckled
each other during the first working session of the new opposition-dominated
parliament as negotiators tried to salvage the African country's
power-sharing agreement.
Riot police also broke
up a demonstration staged by students outside the legislature. Witnesses
saw at least three students bundled into a police van. A number
of others were injured in a scuffle and had to be helped to a nearby
clinic. Police did not comment.
The new 210-seat parliament
that met on Tuesday was the first controlled by the opposition since
Zimbabwe gained independence from Britain in 1980. At the official
opening ceremonies in August, many MPs jeered Mr Mugabe.
The speech Mr Mugabe
made then was debated in a lively session, with MPs heckling each
other. Mr Mugabe was not present.
Speakers addressed the
need for the unity government to be formed so the country's humanitarian
crisis could be addressed.
But opposition MP Sam
Nkomo warned the new government should not be formed at "any
cost". "There is a need to share power equitably,"
he said. "We want to be genuine partners in this agreement."
The MPs will reconvene
on Wednesday, when legislation will be introduced which is necessary
for the formation of the new government. The constitution needs
to be changed to create the post of prime minister, which is supposed
to be filled by Mr Tsvangirai.
Meanwhile, opposition
leader Morgan Tsvangirai said that no agreement had been reached
Tuesday in power-sharing talks with President Robert Mugabe, but
that negotiations would continue the next day.
"There was no conclusion
to discussions. We will continue tomorrow at 10:30 am (0830 GMT),"
Tsvangirai said as he left a Harare hotel after more than seven
hours of negotiations led by former South African president Thabo
Mbeki.
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