Zimbabwe: It's a deal
Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe’s ruling Zanu-PF agreed a power-sharing deal with opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai’s Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) on Thursday to end the post-election crisis, both sides said.
South African President Thabo Mbeki, who has mediated the talks, said Zanu-PF and the MDC have agreed on all issues, and will announce a national unity government on Monday.
“An agreement has been reached on all items on the agenda ... all of them endorsed the document tonight, signed it,” said Mbeki.
“I am absolutely certain that the leadership of Zimbabwe is committed to implementing these agreements ...
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Tsvangirai and Mugabe have been bitter enemies for a decade.
Tsvangirai won an initial election in March but failed to secure an outright victory, boycotted the June election run-off vote over attacks on his supporters.
Mugabe, in power since independence from Britain in 1980, was declared the winner of an unopposed ballot that was condemned around the world.
The power-sharing talks had long been deadlocked over the allocation of executive power between Mugabe and Tsvangirai.
Zimbabweans hope a deal can allow the revival of an economy in meltdown. Inflation is more than 11-million percent and severe food and fuel shortages have driven millions across the country’s borders, straining regional economies.
“It’s made in Zimbabwe, it’s made by Zimbabweans, the rest of the world needs to respect that the people of Zimbabwe have taken a decision about their own country,” Mbeki said.
Mbeki said a formal signing ceremony attended by regional leaders is expected in Harare on Monday, after which details of the deal will be made public.
“The government of Zimbabwe with the support of the region and the African continent will from then on work hard to mobilise support from the region, the African continent and the rest of the world to give support, necessary support, to assist the people of Zimbabwe to recover from the current challenges,” he said.—Reuters, AFP
