Cabinet up first as Zimbabwe unity government starts work
Tuesday, 16 Sep 2008 17:53
Cabinet posts due to be assigned as new unity government in Zimbabwe starts work
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Zimbabwe's new unity government was due to allocate Cabinet posts as it began its first major task since being signed into existence.
Yesterday Robert Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai signed an historic power-sharing deal that saw the country's political deadlock ended.
The agreement sees Mr Mugabe retain his position as president and commander of chief, while the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader becomes prime minister.
Under the terms of the deal, 15 ministers will come from Mr Mugabe's Zanu-PF – which earlier this year lost its control of parliament for the first time in 28 years – with 13 from the MDC and three from a breakaway opposition faction.
Breakaway MDC leader Arthur Mutambara has already been appointed to one of two deputy prime minister posts, with the other to be filled by the MDC proper.
Mr Mugabe is also set to appoint two vice presidents.
State media heralded yesterday's deal as the "dawn of a new era", but the international community has reacted cautiously, with both the EU and US retaining sanctions against Harare.
But UK foreign secretary David Miliband said the government welcomed the prospect of "a turn in the tide of suffering" in Zimbabwe.
"We hope that this agreement will allow Zimbabwe to chart a new course towards economic recovery and political stability," he said.
"We hope that the new government will now reverse the tragic policies and decline of recent years."
Zimbabwe, which is suffering from hyperinflation in excess of 11 million per cent, has spent most of 2008 in political deadlock.
Mr Tsvangirai won the popular vote in presidential elections held in March, during which his party gained control of parliament.
But he was denied victory after neither he nor Mr Mugabe gained at least 50 per cent of the vote, leading to a run-off between the two men in June.
The MDC leader was forced to pull out however due to escalating politically-motivated violence against his supporters.