Historic deal signed in Zimbabwe
Monday, 15 Sep 2008 18:10
Robert Mugabe (right) and Morgan Tsvangirai sign power-sharing agreement to end country's political deadlock
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Robert Mugabe and Morgan Tsvangirai have signed a power-sharing agreement to end the country's political deadlock.
The deal, announced on Friday by chief mediator Thabo Mbeki, saw Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Mr Tsvangirai appointed to the office of prime minister.
Mr Mugabe, who has led
Zimbabwe for the last 28 years, will remain as president.
The details of the agreement will be unveiled later after it is formally signed at 10:00 BST, with resolutions to key differences over defence policy set to be revealed.
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 for the first time in 28 years.
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.