Top MDC official says Tsvangirai will go into government next week
- From: Bill <williamgates@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 28 Jan 2009 10:58:54 +0000
Top MDC official says Tsvangirai will go into government 'next week'
http://www.newzimbabwe.com
Posted to the web: 28/01/2009 03:34:11 A TOP official from Zimbabwe's
main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) has said he
expects the party's national council to give the green light to Morgan
Tsvangirai to join President Robert Mugabe in a unity government when
it meets on Friday.
After a day of confusion on Tuesday which highlighted divisions within
the MDC in the wake of a time table set by regional leaders for the
formation of a power sharing government, the MDC's Policy Coordinator
General Eddie Cross said concessions given by Mugabe at a SADC summit
in Pretoria went "a long way to meeting our requests".
Answering a question from a Zimbabwean on online discussion group,
Cross said: "I have had a look at the agreement and think it goes a
long way to meeting our requests. I think MDC will accept this deal and
that MT (Morgan Tsvangirai) will go into government next week."
Confusion reigned on Tuesday when the MDC issued a statement which
appeared to reject a SADC communiqué released at the end of an
extraordinary summit of the regional grouping, despite Tsvangirai's
approval of the document after marathon meetings.
In briefings to journalists, MDC officials told of a major rift between
secretary general Tendai Biti and Tsvangirai. Biti, the officials said,
is rabidly opposed to any power sharing with Mugabe while Tsvangirai
sees strategic long term benefits in going into government.
The infighting in the MDC has created two groups, one loyal to Biti and
the other to Tsvangirai. Ultimately, Tsvangirai's popular appeal is
expected to carry the day at Friday's national council meeting, and a
decision to join government should be made shortly after, MDC
strategists say.
Mugabe was pushed by SADC leaders into making a series of concessions,
including the reversal of all executive appointments he has made since
a September 15 power sharing deal with opposition rivals Tsvangirai and
Arthur Mutambara, who leads a smaller faction of the MDC.
The SADC communiqué sets a time-table for the formation of an inclusive
government, beginning with the passage of a Constitutional Amendment
Bill by February 5; the swearing in of the Prime Minister and his two
Deputy Prime Ministers by February 11; and the swearing in of Ministers
and Deputy Ministers on February 13 "which will conclude the process of
the formation of the inclusive government".
The power sharing deal will see Mugabe remain President while
Tsvangirai assumes the position of Prime Minister, with Mutambara
coming in as one of his two deputies.
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