Zimbabwe parliament adjourns after cash shortage

• Parliament forced to adjourn till November 11, after running out of money to sustain its operations
• Delay in setting up an inclusive government continues to paralyse national institutions.

HARARE, Friday - Zimbabwe's parliament has been forced to adjourn until November 11, after running out of money to sustain its operations as delays in setting up an inclusive government continues to paralyse national institutions.

The assembly only started sitting early this month, six months after the March elections due to the political impasse blamed on President Robert Mugabe's controversial re-election.

The suspension of parliament was announced by the acting leader of the House, Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa of the ruling Zanu PF after the feuding parties came together to support a motion to declare the gripping food shortages in the country a national disaster.

"Because of the constraints relating to the non-existence of the inclusive government, the House will not be sitting for a while," he said. "In the event measures are put in place, we may be able to call for the sitting of the House at a much earlier date." Parliamentarians were told that the government had run out of money to pay for their accommodation and allowances during their sessions.

Talks to conclude the setting up of the power sharing agreement between the ruling party and the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) faction reach a critical phase on Monday when regional leaders visit Harare.

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) troika on security will try to persuade, Mr Mugabe and his rivals Mr Morgan Tsvangirai and Professor Arthur Mutambara to finalise the allocation of cabinet posts.

The setting up of the inclusive government has been in the works since September 15, when the three leaders signed an historic power sharing pact to end Zimbabwe's decade old political and economic crisis.

Parliament is expected to approve a constitution amendment giving force to the power sharing arrangement and disruption of its settings might further delay the process.

Compared to other law makers in the region, Zimbabwean legislators are poorly paid with their monthly salaries averaging less than US$5 (about Sh400).

They also complain that they had been informed that the government currently had no money to buy vehicles for the 210 House of Assembly members and 96 senators.

Zimbabwe's worsening economic crisis and the threat of a major food crisis has injected urgency to the process of establishing a new government.