Maravi

(TALKZIMBABWE) Bennett offers to relinquish ministerial offer

Bennett offers to relinquish ministerial offer
By: TG-TZG
Posted: Sunday, May 9, 2010 3:07 pm

MOVEMENT for Democratic Change (MDC-T) party financier and treasurer-general, Roy Bennett, has offered to relinquish a post he was offered by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai in order to save the inclusive Government from collapsing.

Bennett, who will learn tomorrow whether he must answer terrorism charges related a plot to oust President Robert Mugabe, will appear at the high court to find out if his trial will go ahead. The white former farmer is accused of buying £3,000 worth of arms in 2006 to carry out acts of insurgency, sabotage, banditry or terrorism.

In an interview with the UK's Guardian newspaper, Bennett insisted the case was politically motivated, and for the first time, offered to relinquish his claim to a position in government, saying it would save Zimbabwe's power-sharing agreement.

Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, however, has insisted that Bennett should be appointed to the post of deputy minister of agriculture; a ministry at the heart of the Zimbabwean problem.

The Liberation war of the 1970s was fought because of the land issue, where the white minority held the most fertile land in the country.

"I was elected to my position by the people of Zimbabwe to serve them honestly and transparently so I have absolutely no problem where I serve. Certainly I would hate a process to stop over individuals and personalities," said Bennett, in clear contrast to PM Tsvangirai's position.

"It's far beyond personalities and far bigger than personalities. You're talking about people's livelihoods, the restoration and reconstruction of a country."

The 53-year-old added: "Certainly a single post should not stop that process moving forward. So if it meant step aside completely and not be involved, and that would move the process forward towards a fresh election and towards democracy, I would be the first person to endorse that."

Bennett also said Zanu-PF and MDC-T will never be able to work together as they have two oppossing ideologies. He called the Global Political Agreement (GPA) signed by the two parties "a total failure".

"Zanu-PF and MDC have very little interaction. They're two polarised camps, which is why this GPA is a total failure."

George Mlala, Zanu-PF's Bulawayo province deputy secretary for indigenisation, argued the courts should now be left alone to decide Bennett's case.

"Suppose Mugabe says today, 'Hey police, this man please, can you stop all your investigations, I want to appoint him today,'" he said. "Is that not an interference with the police? We are saying, if MDC wants this matter settled, let the court settle the matter.

"If Bennett is found guilty and sentenced to life imprisonment, 10 years' imprisonment, 24 hours' imprisonment, go to the president and say, 'The man has been found guilty. Can you please pardon him?' If he pardons him, nobody will say he's interfered with the courts or police. But now his hands are tied. If it was me, I would not release Bennett. I would allow the court to proceed."

Labels: MDC, ROY BENNETT

posted by MrK @ 6:34 PM