ZANU-PF calls on Mugabe to form an all-inclusive govt

ZANU-PF calls on Mugabe to form an all-inclusive govt
Written by George Chellah in Harare, Zimbabwe
Friday, November 14, 2008 8:04:40 AM

THE ZANU-PF politburo, the party's highest decision-making body, has called on President Robert Mugabe to form an all-inclusive government forthwith.
Addressing journalists after an extraordinary politburo meeting, information minister Dr Sikhanyiso Ndhlovu said the politburo made the decision in line with last weekend's extraordinary SADC summit resolution on the Zimbabwe crisis. He said President Mugabe would form a government anytime from now.

“The ZANU-PF politburo unanimously resolved that President Mugabe should, with immediate effect, proceed to form an inclusive government in compliance with resolutions of the SADC summit,” he said.

Dr Ndlovu described Morgan Tsvangirai’s decision to turn down the offer to submit a list of its probable ministers as “hypothesis”.

ZANU-PF deputy secretary for information Ephraim Masawi also said it was premature to indicate that the MDC had refused to form an inclusive government.

“The President is going to invite the MDC-T and MDC Mutambara to submit their names,” Masawi said.

And the MDC-Professor Arthur Mutambara faction called for the immediate formation of an inclusive government as recommended by the regional bloc.

Spokesperson Edwin Mushoriwa emphasized the need for all political parties to adhere to the SADC resolution, as the regional body was the custodian of the talks that led to the September 15 power-sharing agreement.

But the MDC-Tsvangirai faction has maintained that it would not join a new government with President Mugabe until unresolved power-sharing issues were ironed out.

“There are outstanding issues such as the issue of governors, equity and allocation of key ministries which have to be addressed,” said MDC spokesperson Nelson Chamisa. “Unless those issues are resolved, we cannot be invited to be passengers and be bystanders in a government we are supposed to be partners. No amount of propaganda against us would force us to jump into this government.”

Last weekend, the extraordinary SADC summit in Sandton, South Africa resolved that the Zimbabwean political parties immediately form government.

But Tsvangirai rejected the decision, saying the proposal to co-manage the Ministry of Home Affairs was unworkable.

But SADC executive secretary Dr Tomaz Salomao said the regional bloc’s ruling on Zimbabwe stands whether political parties involved in the power-sharing deal agree with the decision or not.

Dr Salomao said SADC’s decision that the inclusive government be formed forthwith in Zimbabwe and that the ruling ZANU-PF and the MDC co-manage the Ministry of Home Affairs was final.

Dr Salomao maintained that the arrangement would be reviewed after six months by the parties with the assistance of the guarantors, SADC, AU and the facilitator.