Mugabe and MDC finally agree to share power after disputed poll

HARARE, Thursday - Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe’s ruling party and the main opposition MDC reached a power sharing deal today, MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai and a government source said.

South African President Thabo Mbeki has mediated in talks to end a political crisis after Mugabe’s re-election unopposed in a June presidential poll that was boycotted by Tsvangirai and condemned around the world.

“President Mbeki is going to give a press statement but I can say that we have got a deal,” Tsvangirai said as he left the venue of negotiations in the capital Harare.

A Zimbabwe government source also told Reuters: “They have reached some agreement, and President Mbeki, the mediator is going to announce that very soon.”

Late today, President Mbeki said the ruling ZANU-PF and the opposition will announce a national unity government on Monday.

Mr Mbeki said Zimbabwe’s leaders were committed to implementing the deal, which could end post-election political turmoil that has worsened the country’s economic decline.

Earlier today, Mr Mugabe cast doubt that a deal was imminent.

Mr Mugabe said he was still taking part in the power sharing talks with the opposition to avoid disappointing fellow Africans who are trying to help extricate Zimbabwe from a devastating political crisis but vowed that he will never cede his powers.

Speaking a few hours before the resumption of the tripartite talks led by Mr Mbeki in Harare, Mr Mugabe told a meeting of traditional leaders that very little progress had been made in the talks with the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).

In the biggest hint ever that the talks were heading for collapse, Mr Mugabe said his rival, Mr Morgan Tsvangirai was ‘mad’ to demand to be more powerful than him or his deputies.

Sticking point

He said the sticking point remained that the MDC wanted a complete transfer of power, which he would never allow to happen.

“We are prepared to work together with those who want to work with us but not with the transfer of power from our people and party… not at the expense of our unity,” he said.

“He (Tsvangirai) wants to be more powerful than the president and I said you are mad, you want to be more powerful than Vice President (Joseph) Msika, he is ignoramus .

“Mbeki is trying and we don’t want to disappoint our African bothers who want to help us resolve our problems. “But time is coming for us to tell them that we can’t continue like this, running a country without a government.”

Zimbabwe has been running without a substantive government since March after Mr Mugabe was asked to delay appointing a new Cabinet to give the talks that began in July a chance.

“We haven’t got anywhere, we are still at the point where those of the MDC want the power to govern the country and we are saying never,” Mr Mugabe said.

“It was sad and unfortunate that what we did in June we did not do in March and because of our failure to win the majority of the votes we are undergoing this humiliation of having to negotiate with this foreign sponsored party.”

Earlier today, Zimbabwe’s ruling ZANU-PF party accused the MDC of plotting with President Mugabe’s Western foes to rob him of executive powers in post-election negotiations.

The accusations were made despite the clearest signs yet that the two sides could soon sign a power-sharing deal to end political turmoil that has worsened Zimbabwe’s economic decline.

“We are facing the same problems in these talks that we have been facing with the MDC, they are trying to advance the interests of Western forces, particularly of Britain and the US,” said the ZANU-PF official.

“In respect of these talks, they are directly taking orders and advice from British and American diplomats here, orders to get a deal that strips President Mugabe of all power and makes him a ceremonial head of state.” MDC spokesman Nelson Chamisa dismissed the ZANU-PF charges of collusion with the Western countries, which have imposed sanctions on Mugabe and his inner circle to try to force change.

“I am not going to get into details of the talks except to say we are negotiating in good faith and with an open mind. You cannot say the same about ZANU-PF.”

Here are the key events:

On June 27 - Run-off went ahead despite calls for a postponement from Africa and the rest of the world.
June 29 - Mugabe is declared winner with 85.51 per cent of the vote and sworn in for a new five-year term.

July 11 - Russia and China veto a Western-backed UN Security Council resolution to impose sanctions on Zimbabwe.

July 22 - The European Union agrees additional sanctions against Zimbabwean leaders. Three days later, the United States expands its sanctions.

July 24 - Senior negotiators from the MDC and ZANU-PF begin talks to end the deadlock over Mugabe’s re-election on June 27.
September ember 11 - ZANU-PF and the MDC reach a power-sharing deal.