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Avoid full blown conflict, agree on cabinet now
Centre for Community Development in Zimbabwe (CCDZ)
October 27, 2008

The Centre for Community Development in Zimbabwe (CCDZ) strongly condemns the ZANU PF party for holding the country to ransom by refusing to share power, particularly the security ministries with the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party which garnered the popular vote during the harmonized elections held early this year. To avert conflict and full blown street fighting between Tsvangirai and Mugabe loyalists, CCDZ urges a resolution to the political impasse.

We demand that the Prime Minister-designate, Morgan Tsvangirai and the MDC party that he represents be accorded the respect that they deserve in the ongoing talks to form an Inclusive government. We are utterly opposed to ZANU PF's misplaced claims to Divine right to rule the people of Zimbabwe.

Any continued stay in power by President Mugabe will drive the country into further chaos as the people's patience has been stretched too far. We warn President Mugabe that the costs of ZANU PF's refusal to yield to the demands of pro-democracy forces on power-sharing outweigh the costs of the misery, starvation, deprivation, disease and deaths that we witness every day and that is set to intensify if a deal between the political parties fails to go through.

The Centre proposes the following practical steps to avert implosion and full scale conflict:

• That there is equal distribution between ZANU PF and the two formations of the MDC , the following key ministries - Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Information, Media & Publicity, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Local Government, Ministry of Women's Affairs, Ministry of Youth Development, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Agriculture.
• That there be proportional representation of gubernatorials-the MDC party led by Morgan Tsvangirai be allocated 4 gubernatorial portfolios, whilst ZANU PF retains 5 and the Professor Mutambara led MDC formation gets 1.
• That the party that takes over a Ministry also uses its discretion to appoint the Permanent Secretary, Principal Directors and other senior officers that the party deems are better placed to serve the national interests. On this point, CCDZ is opposed to the continued public service of some ZANU PF officials who masquerade as professionals when they are party activists furthering a political agenda.
• That the three parties be empowered to appoint ambassadors to agreed countries regardless of which party gets the Foreign Affairs portfolio.

The Inclusive government must set in motion a programme for economic recovery and mobilize humanitarian assistance to assist the people who urgently need assistance with food, medicare and other basic services.

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