Zimbabwean Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has hailed the acquittal of Roy Bennett — who was cleared of an alleged terror plot — as “very positive”.
“Well its good news, it’s very positive,” Tsvangirai told reporters in Washington when asked about the end of a trial that had threatened the fragile power-sharing government between Tsvangirai and his rival, President Robert Mugabe.
A judge on Monday acquitted Bennett — arrested last year shortly before he was due to be sworn in as deputy agriculture minister — of charges of trying to overthrow Mugabe.
“As I’ve always said he’s not being prosecuted, he’s being persecuted. I hope that the persecution has ended,” said Tsvangirai as he posed for the cameras with United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton before their meeting.
“Obviously, obviously, there’s more needing to be done”, he said when asked if other steps had to be taken to shore up the fragile unity government.
Since the establishment of the power-sharing agreement in February last year, Tsvangirai and Mugabe have failed to implement terms of the deal which include the appointments of senior government officials.
Uneasy agreement
In Harare last week, Tsvangirai called for a speedy resolution of major disagreements over Bennett’s case, as well as provincial governors, attorney general, Reserve Bank, security sector reform and ministerial portfolios.
Clinton said: “I’m delighted to welcome the Prime Minister back to Washington. We had very productive meetings last time when he was here.
“We continue to support the efforts for reform and positive changes inside Zimbabwe. And of course the Prime Minister has played a major role in attempting to move his country on the right path.”
In June last year, US President Barack Obama announced $73-million in aid for Zimbabwe following talks in Washington with Tsvangirai.
Obama, citing concern “about consolidating democracy, human rights and rule of law,” cautioned that the aid will go to the Zimbabwean people rather than to a government where Tsvangirai shares power uneasily with Mugabe.
A State Department official told Agence-France Presse on condition of anonymity that Clinton wanted to “discuss how the US can continue to aid the people of Zimbabwe and continue to push for democratic reform and the opening of political space in Zimbabwe.” — AFP