Zimbabwe: MDC Mocks Mugabe's Cabinet 'Wish List'
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Zimbabwe Standard (Harare)
11 October 2008
Posted to the web 12 October 2008
Caiphas Chimhete, Vusumuzi Sifile, Kholwani Nyathi and Davison Maruziva
Harare
THE MDC yesterday angrily dismissed as "Mugabe's giant act of madness" President Robert Mugabe's announcement of the allocation of government ministries to Zanu PF and the two MDC formations.
On Friday, Mugabe announced -- through a government gazette -- that he had allocated 30 ministries to the three parties. He said one ministry -- Finance, was still outstanding.
The announcement came few hours after Mugabe met MDC leaders Morgan Tsvangirai and Professor Arthur Mutambara to resolve the allocation of ministries.
The meeting ended in a deadlock and the three leaders agreed to refer the matter to the facilitator, former South African President, Thabo Mbeki, who is expected in Harare tomorrow.
Announcement of the allocation of government ministries yesterday drew fire from the MDC, which described it as a mere "wish list and giant act of madness".
The MDC said it could not be useless "accessories" in a Zanu PF government.
MDC spokesperson Nelson Chamisa described Mugabe's move to allocate ministries as "arrogant, unilateral, contemptuous and outrageous".
He said it was a betrayal of the spirit of the power-sharing deal signed in Harare on September 15 in the presence of the facilitator and regional leaders from Sadc.
Chamisa said the MDC would not be party to Mugabe's "wish-list".
"Zanu PF cannot nocturnally allocate ministries barely hours after the three principals agreed to disagree by referring the matter to the mediator after a logjam over all key ministries," Chamisa said. "In fact, it is a giant act of madness, which puts the whole deal into jeopardy. We will not accept being accessories to a government that is principally Zanu PF."
The MDC spokesperson said basing on Mugabe's list, "it's easy for Zanu PF to run the country on the basis of the ministries they have allocated themselves".
"We did not append our signatures to a power-grabbing deal by Zanu PF," Chamisa said. "It is a power-sharing deal, and let it be real power-sharing and responsibility sharing so that we are able to inspire confidence in Zimbabweans."
The allocation of ministries, he said, was a clear strategy to try and pre-empt the arrival of the mediator, as well as the intervention of Sadc and the African Union.
He appealed to the international community to urgently intervene and "protect Zimbabweans against Mugabe's machinations".
The MDC said if the power-sharing deal collapsed, they would need fresh elections that are internationally supervised.
"We are now waiting for Sadc to come in and try to adjudicate the process," he said. "If that fails, it's back to square one. We have to have fresh elections that are internationally supervised so that we deal with this outstanding matter."
In the absence of such an arrangement and the September 15 deal, Chamisa said, the MDC would withdraw its endorsement of Mugabe for the transitional inclusive government.
Tsvangirai will today address a rally at the Zimbabwe Grounds in Harare to spell out the party's position.
MDC-M spokesperson Edwin Mu-shoriwa described the gazetting of ministries as "mischievous".
"The process of the allocation of ministries has not been concluded and hence the decision by the principals to recall Mbeki. We dismiss what Mugabe has done with the contempt it deserves," Mushoriwa told The Standard last night.
The Secretary-General of the United Nations Ban Ki-Moon called on the political leadership to put the country first and reach a workable agreement on the composition of the cabinet so as to begin the all important task of rebuilding the country.
Talks over the allocation of key ministries have reached a deadlock, invoking panic in the United Nations. There had been hopes that the political deal could end Zimbabwe's devastating economic meltdown.
The deadlock comes as the UN has just announced that the food crisis in Zimbabwe has reached emergency proportions. The UN World Food Programme is appealing for financial donations of US$140 million to feed about five million hungry Zimbabweans for the next six months.
Reactions among Zimbabweans ranged from anger at a dream deferred to resignation at prospects of turning around the country's decade-long decline.
Relevant Links
University of Zimbabwe political science lecturer Eldred Masunungure said Mugabe's action was designed to pre-empt Mbeki's mediation effort.
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Read comments. Write your own.
No surprise that Robert Mugabe still refuses to acknowledge that he is not the "boss" of the government of National Unity. Worse off, he is still in denial that Zimbabweans no longer support him and that in any free and fair elections he would loose!
This was expected, but not to the extent that we are now seeing. Mugabe refuses to see the changes that are occuring throughout Southern Africa. He is the only one still holding on to power and he is a classic dictator! He refuses to acknowledege the bad economy affecting ordinary people. This is the great… [Read Full Text]
Well taken, Phiri. We did not preach in the desert! What you need to do now is pluck some more courage and bring into your fold people like AK..47 and ensure that people in Southern Africa line up behind a real movement for genuine change in the rotten political order in this banana republic.
Zimbabweans alone will not succeed. What they need is support from the region, moral and otherwise. Mugabe kept many of them under terror for too long. Dehumanised, terrorised and hungry are what the murderer likes to inflict on his citizens. Phiri joins us in warning that… [Read Full Text]
That is wishful thinking Prem, you are a fool of the last degree if u think people are not revolting against the Govt of Zimbabwe because they are not braven. The people of Zimbabwe are clearly aware of who has caused all the misery they are going thru. They know that Mugabe is the most democratic person in Southern Africa, no wonder why he has tolerated sellout Tsvangirai (Mr Boycott) until this time. Zimbabweans were born out of the struggle for self determination and so they know what they want - empowerment and total independence. They may be suffering under… [Read Full Text]
"They know that Mugabe is the most democratic person in Southern Africa" What an absolute joke! I havent heard anything so funny in such a long time! How dare you say that a man whe beats, rapes, murders and tortures his own people to keep his greedy corrupt hand on power is the most democratic person in Southern Africa. Democracy includes the freedom of expression, but yet how many newspapers are banned in Zimbabwe, it also means freedom for polictical parties to meet and campaign during an election, which we did not see. It also means the the military arent… [Read Full Text]
Hie Awt_Independent
I will repeat myself for your bet understanding. Mugabe is the most democratic leader in the whole of Africa - this is a fact. For your own information Magabe has not done a single thing of what you accuse him of committing. Mugabe has been consistent in every respect. He has given people education, health care, infrastructure, education, and lately land. If you close me in a cage and do not allow me to go out and hunt for my children, are you not imposing sanctions on me? If you go to my neighbours and turn them against… [Read Full Text]
Tankuya, Robert Mugabe has reached a very dangerous tipping point. Mugabe is no democrate and the fact is clear...He is a dictator of the first degree! There should be no illusion now by people like you and others.
Tankuya, my parents were part of the liberation movement and gave a whole lot to it...But I know they would not support such evil and selfish behaviour from Robert Mugabe.
Yes, I too have supported the soverignity of Zimbabwe, land distribution etc...but not this rubbish from President Mugabe and his cronies! The most important thing is that Mugabe is ruling the country… [Read Full Text]
Phiri, Your definition of dictator is so flawed I need not respond to that. You talk of your parents participating in the liberation struggle. Yes that was good but what about you? What role are you going to play in the continuing struggle for total liberation and total empowerment.
Already you have shown me that you are now going against what your parents fought for. They fought primarily for land and anything else was peripheral. I am sure you are not trying to tell me that Welshman Ncube, Gasela, Biti, Tsvangirai himself who have applied to be considered for land… [Read Full Text]
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Active Discussions: Mugabe Claims Key Ministries