Back to Index

This article participates on the following special index pages:

Zimbabwe talks fail to break new ground
Dumisani Muleya, Business Day
January 20, 2009

http://www.businessday.co.za/articles/frontpage.aspx?ID=BD4A921625

Zimbabwe's power-sharing talks brokered by regional leaders hung in the balance last night amid fears of a collapse as President Robert Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai failed to agree on details for a unity government.

Mugabe rejected Tsvangirai's conditions for joining his government, saying his demands were "unacceptable".

Tsvangirai presented a position paper by his Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) demanding control of the "key" home affairs, finance, information, agriculture and local government ministries.

He proposed that Mugabe take defence, national security, justice, foreign affairs and land .

Sources said Mugabe rejected Tsvangirai's proposals, insisting the issue had been resolved and there was no need to "reopen" it.

"Tsvangirai put forward his party's position, but Mugabe simply said it was unacceptable," said one negotiator at the inter-party talks. "That left the meeting frozen, and efforts by regional leaders to push the two to make compromises failed. It looks like the talks are on the verge of collapse."

Mugabe suggested previously that all the contested ministries, except finance, go to his party, Zanu (PF).

Southern African Development Community (SADC) leaders had suggested that home affairs be co-managed by Mugabe and Tsvangirai.

Before yesterday's meeting - attended by President Kgalema Motlanthe, who is also the SADC chairman, mediator Thabo Mbeki and Mozambican President Armando Guebuza - Mugabe and Tsvangirai had hardened their positions, signalling that the talks could finally break down.

Mugabe had described the meeting as "make or break", and warned he would not make concessions, while Tsvangirai had insisted on the MDC demands being met.

Sources said Motlanthe, Mbeki and Guebuza pushed hard for a compromise, reminding Mugabe and Tsvangirai of Zimbabwe's deepening political and economic crisis and its collateral damage on the region, but failed to move the bitter rivals.

It is understood that Mugabe insisted that he had complied with SADC recommendations to put measures in place to form an inclusive government, but Tsvangirai had disagreed.

Mugabe said at the meeting that he had accepted the sharing of home affairs, gazetted the draft constitutional amendment bill, which was due before parliament today, and had always been ready to swear Tsvangirai in to office pending the constitutional amendment to legalise his appointment as Prime Minister.

This, Mugabe said, had all been blocked by the refusal of the MDC to co-operate.

Although Motlanthe, Mbeki and Guebuza were forced to stick to the SADC position, supported by smaller MDC faction leader Arthur Mutambara, they still demanded a compromise solution, which could not be found as Mugabe and Tsvangirai remained poles apart.

Please credit www.kubatana.net if you make use of material from this website. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License unless stated otherwise.

TOP