Maravi

Mugabe drops ministers who lost seats

Mugabe drops ministers who lost seats
Written by George Chellah
Friday, January 02, 2009 3:01:33 PM

PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe has dropped some Cabinet and deputy ministers who lost their parliamentary and senatorial seats in the March 29 harmonised elections.

And ZANU-PF negotiators are this weekend expected to meet their South African counterparts to discuss MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai’s reply to President Mugabe’s invitation to join an inclusive government.

Sources revealed to The Post that the veteran leader might be gearing up for the formation of a new government without the main opposition MDC led by Morgan Tsvangirai.

“This new year, 2009 might be a very decisive year for ZANU-PF and President Mugabe in particular. The world must expect a very decisive President Mugabe especially that Mr. Tsvangirai seems not to be keen in joining an inclusive government,” the source disclosed.

“Already he (President Mugabe) has terminated the services of Cabinet and deputy ministers who lost in the last elections. They have been served with letters terminating their services. Obviously, this is a way of creating room for new appointments.”

Notables among the ministers that have been served with letters terminating their services are finance minister Dr Samuel Mumbengegwi, information minister Dr Sikhanyiso Ndlovu and Agriculture minister Rugare Gumbo among others.

The source further said that the possibility of establishing a new government in Zimbabwe soon was high.

“There are many indicators that are pointing to that effect. Namely, the appointment of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) Governor Dr Gideon Gono and the new Attorney General Johannes Tomana… these are not ordinary appointments they are indications that President Mugabe seems determined already to go it alone,” the source said. “No wonder Mr. Tsvangirai and the MDC are complaining especially on these recent appointments because they know what this means.”

The source also said ZANU-PF was currently reaching out to the splinter MDC led by Professor Arthur Mutambara inviting them to join the government.

“The two political parties are currently meeting to try and find a way of working together since Mr. Tsvangirai seems uninterested in an inclusive government,” the source said. “ In addition to that, the ZANU-PF negotiators will this weekend be meeting with their South African counterparts to discuss Mr. Tsvangirai’s letter to President Mugabe.”

The source said ZANU-PF’s argument is that President Mugabe has conceded enough in the negotiations.

“They are saying President Mugabe has made a lot of concessions in the power-sharing talks. And that the pattern has turned out to be that whenever President Mugabe and ZANU-PF makes concessions, the MDC’s demands change as well…what is becoming clear is that MDC keeps on adding fresh demands whenever ZANU-PF makes concessions,” the source said. “Its like their goal is to take power completely and not sharing it as agreed in the negotiations. So these are some of the reasons that are likely to show a decisive President Mugabe in 2009.”

In a letter to President Robert Mugabe dated December 29, 2008, Tsvangirai stated that he finds the Zimbabwean leader’s proposal to appoint him as Prime Minister irregular.

Botswana government sources revealed to The Post that Tsvangirai outlined a set of conditions to be met by President Mugabe before he joins an inclusive government stating that:

“In the absence of the processes, I find your proposal to appoint me Prime Minister irregular. I have written in the same vein to President Motlanthe suggesting he convenes a confidential meeting in South Africa between you and me, under his chairmanship, so that we can iron out these matters to the satisfaction of all parties” read Tsvangirai’s letter to President Mugabe in part.”

I am sure you are anxious to proceed to the successful implementation of the Global political Agreement (GPA), anxiety that I share, but the issues are so profound that we must act in a logical sequence.

“In the meantime, I hope that when parliament convenes on the 20 January, 2009, all parties will support the text of the bill in accordance with the agreement.”

Recently, Britain’s Africa Minister Mark Malloch Brown said President Mugabe must retire for a power-sharing government to succeed.

He said President Mugabe was incapable of making good on a deal reached in September to govern alongside Tsvangirai.

“Power-sharing isn’t dead but Mugabe has become an absolute impossible obstacle to achieving it,” Malloch Brown said. “He’s so distrusted by all sides that I think the Americans are absolutely right — he’s going to have to step aside.”

Mallock Brown’s remarks came after the U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Jendayi Frazer, said Washington can no longer support a Zimbabwean deal that leaves President Mugabe in office as president.

Labels: CABINET, MUGABE

posted by MrK @ 3:02 PM