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Mugabe gives ally control of telecoms
AFP
April 10, 2009

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hlt1ixP0NPVc3O5BnsVBPBcsc30g

Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe has put a top ally in charge of telecommunications after a dispute over control of the key industry involving a longtime opposition figure, state media said Friday.

The Herald newspaper said the department would fall under the ministry of transport, communications and infrastructure development headed by Nicholas Goche, a top aide to Mugabe.

Goche was part of the negotiating team to form a power-sharing government with the main opposition.

The move follows a dispute between information and communication technology minister Nelson Chamisa and information and publicity minister Webster Shamu over control of the telecommunications industry.

Chamisa has been spokesman for the longtime opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), which has formed a power-sharing government with Mugabe's ZANU-PF.

Zimbabwe's main political rivals formed a power-sharing government in February to ease tensions in the aftermath of disputed presidential polls and tackle a deep economic crisis.

Although the parties signed the agreement to form a government in September last year, its formation was delayed as the parties haggled over the allocation of key cabinet ministries including home affairs and finance.

A week after their appointment, ministers Chamisa and Shamu clashed over the control of the key telecommunications industry.

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