Maravi

(TALKZIMBABWE) Tsvangirai narrows down demands

Tsvangirai narrows down demands
Floyd Nkomo
Wed, 28 Oct 2009 04:23:00 +0000

PRIME Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has narrowed down his demands to President Mugabe as it has become clear that the decisions taken by the Zanu PF politburo will stick despite an MDC-T "disengagement" from the inclusive Government.

The highest decision-making body of President Robert Mugabe's Zanu PF party outside the congress, the Politburo, met on in August at its 224th Session and urged the two MDC formations to fulfill their obligations under the inter-party agreement signed in February this year.

The Politburo urged President Mugabe not to make any more concessions to the MDC until they lobby for the lifting of illegal sanctions against Zimbabwe, including travel bans on Zanu PF leaders, and an end to hate speech spread by pirate radio stations beaming illegally into Zimbabwe.

PM Tsvangirai is said to have presented a document to President Mugabe calling for the "reform" of State security arms and the adoption of an MDC-T-crafted National Security Council Bill.

He is also said to have demanded the right to chair Cabinet in President Mugabe’s absence.

However, the GPA is clear that President Mugabe chairs Cabinet while Mr Tsvangirai chairs the Council of Ministers.

Informed sources said President Mugabe told PM Tsvangirai he would not concede on these demands.

PM Tsvangirai, realising that President was not budging, is said to have narrowed his demands to two points: the appointment of his party treasurer and financier Roy Bennett as deputy minister of agriculture and the appointment of provincial governors.

PM Tsvangirai was reportedly saying that he was prepared to attend Cabinet if Zanu PF conceded on these two points.

A report is state media says, "The President said Bennett would first have to be cleared and that negotiators had erred in apportioning governors seats as they were not mandated to do so."

"The President said he found it odd that Mr Tsvangirai was preoccupied with personnel issues when the focus should be on things like sanctions and food security, which affect the nation," says sources in the capital.

"The President said the inclusive Government was not formed to gladden a few individuals in MDC-T who wanted jobs and attention should be paid to the needs of the people."

Labels: MORGAN TSVANGIRAI, MUGABE, NATIONAL UNITY GOVERNMENT

posted by MrK @ 8:42 PM