Zimbabwe cabinet meets without Tsvangirai

HARARE, Tuesday

Zimbabwe’s cabinet was meeting on Tuesday without ministers from Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s party following their partial pullout from the unity government last week.

President Robert Mugabe’s spokesman Mr George Charamba told the state media that Mr Tsvangirai had not made any formal announcement that he is disengaging from the power sharing government.

He said as far as Mr Mugabe was concerned, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader remained the prime minister.

“Government is not run through media statements,” Mr Charamba told the Herald newspaper.

“In the same way that President Mugabe formally appointed him to the post of Prime Minister he must also communicate any decision to disengage or whatever it is they are calling it, in a formal manner.

“This can be done orally or in writing but in a formal manner. From that point of view nothing has happened.

“Until the communication is done formally the president has no reason or any grounds to think or know otherwise.”

Mr Tsvangirai announced last Friday that his party was suspending contact with Mr Mugabe’s Zanu PF until all outstanding issues in the power sharing agreement were addressed.

MDC ministers will continue to perform their duties but will not attend cabinet meetings and those of the council of ministers chaired by Mr Tsvangirai where they will have to interact with Zanu PF.

But Mr Charamba said the absence of the MDC – the biggest party in Zimbabwe’s parliament – will be a non event because cabinet decisions were not made by a quorum or vote.

He said resolutions made at the Tuesday meeting will be binding on all ministers.

“There has been no indication in writing or through the Chief Secretary that there will be no attendance en block from MDC s side,” Mr Charamba said.

The smaller faction of the MDC led by Deputy Prime Minister Professor Arthur Mutambara said it will not be affected by the pull out.

Meanwhile, government officials accused Mr Tsvangirai of embarking on a regional tour without cabinet authority.

The Prime Minister is today scheduled to meet Mozambican President Armando Guebuza who is also head of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) organ on politics and security to brief him on the developments in Zimbabwe.

He will not return to Zimbabwe until next week as he will also visit other countries to pile pressure on Mr Mugabe to fully implement the agreement that led to the formation of the unity government on February 13.

The Herald quoted unnamed government officials saying Mr Tsvangirai tried to seek cabinet authority for his trip while on his way to the airport but was told it was too late.

The MDC and Zanu PF were forced to form the unity government following pressure from SADC to end a 10 year political and economic crisis.