"Inclusive government" for Zimbabwe
Inclusive government for Zimbabwe?
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Tuesday, 11, Nov 2008 11:05
Zimbabwe's government has described a ruling by southern African leaders denying opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, sole control of the home affairs ministry as the "best gift the country can embrace during the festive season and the new year".
Southern African Development Community (SADC) leaders on Monday failed to prod president Robert Mugabe into a compromise with Mr Tsvangirai over control of the home affairs ministry, instead insisting that the two leaders co-share the ministry.
Mr Tsvangirai rejected the idea as "unworkable".
The SADC summit which was called to resolve the deadlock over the allocation of the home affairs ministry among other key ministries between Mr Mugabe and Mr Tsvangirai also resolved that the country's political rivals quickly form an inclusive government.
"The focus and energies of the people of Zimbabwe can now be directed towards the no less daunting challenges of development and economic recovery.
"Unity of purpose is called for in this noble endeavour. The inclusive government is surely the best gift Zimbabwe can embrace during this festive season and the new year," Zimbabwe's ambassador to South Africa, Simon Khaya Moyo said in a statement on Tuesday.
The US government and Britain - which Mr Mugabe accuses of trying to use the opposition to oust him - dismissed the SADC summit outcome as disappointing because co-sharing the home affairs ministry does not reflect the will of Zimbabweans.
The regional bloc was accused by Mr Tsvangirai among other critics of failing to act tough on Mugabe, who has been in power since 1980.
"SADC approached this summit without any concrete strategy and did not have the courage and the decency to look Mr Mugabe in the eyes and tell him that
his position was wrong," Mr Tsvangirai noted.
But the country's ambassador to South Africa defended SADC.
"The SADC region has once again clearly demonstrated that the regional body is not just a talking shop but that it is ready and willing to deploy its collective political muscle in the search for peace and development among its membership.
"Indeed such political resolve and determination augurs well for the future not only for Zimbabwe, but for the entire region and the continent as a whole," Mr Khaya-Moyo noted.
President Mugabe yesterday quickly said he would form a new government as soon as possible.
Patrick Chinamasa, the legal and parliamentary affairs minister said Mr Tsvangirai had been asked to submit a list of cabinet ministers from his Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party.