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(NEWZIMBABWE) Mugabe, Tsvangirai barely talking?

Mugabe, Tsvangirai barely talking?
by Sports Reporter
16/06/2010 00:00:00

DEPUTY Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara says progress in the coalition administration is being held back by the principals’ inability to subordinate their party political interests to the national good.

Mutambara - who leads the MDC-M formation - told supporters at a rally in Makokoba, Bulawayo, at the weekend that the working relationship between President Robert Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai was frequently frosty.

“We had a meeting last Tuesday. Mugabe can’t speak to Tsvangirai and vice-versa; I had to intervene and urge them to be mature.

“When the history (of this country) is written correctly people will know what a wonderful job our party did to bring sanity to this GNU (government and national unity),” Mutambara said.

President Mugabe, Tsvangirai and Mutambara established a coalition government following inconclusive general elections in 2008 but the administration continues to be threatened by disputes over full implementation of the political deal which facilitated its formation.

Tsvangirai’s MDC-T party wants “outstanding issues” in the implementation of the Global Political Agreement (GPA) addressed.

On the other hand Zanu PF counters that it has fully met its end of the political bargain and accuses its partners of not doing enough to have western sanctions imposed on the country lifted.

However Mutambara urged his coalition partners not to be consumed by narrow and selfish party political interests and instead train their focus on rebuilding the country.

He said bickering over the so-called outstanding issues should not overshadow the achievements of the coalition government citing the economic stabilization as well as the establishment of media, electoral and human rights commissions.

The MDC-M leader said progress has also been made in the constitutional reform process adding that his party would push for devolution of power and proportional representation to ensure that “every vote counts and that the interests of the minorities are also represented”.

Labels: ARTHUR MUTAMBARA, NATIONAL UNITY GOVERNMENT, SANCTIONS, ZDERA

posted by MrK @ 1:25 PM