President Robert Mugabe wants Zimbabwe’s power-sharing government to end next year, saying the unity pact was only meant to last two years, state media said on Friday.
“Some will say let us negotiate and give it another life. I am reluctant because part of the things happening [in the inclusive government] are absolutely foolish and stupid,” Mugabe said in the Herald newspaper.
Mugabe, who has ruled since independence in 1980, formed a unity government with his political rival, Morgan Tsvangirai, in February last year after violent and inconclusive elections in 2008.
Tensions
Tensions within the government have spiked since one of Tsvangirai’s supporters was killed last month after pro-Mugabe militants stoned a public outreach meeting on a new constitution, meant to pave the way for fresh elections.
“If it is a question of just a couple more months, then I will have no objections, but to give it another life of six months or one year, no, no, no,” Mugabe told youths from his Zanu-PF party.
“The life of this creature called the Global Political Agreement is only two years and it started in February last year,” Mugabe said.
“February next year, which is about four months to go, then it will have lived its full life and I do not know what is going to happen if we are not ready with a constitution.”
A referendum should be held in the first three months of the year, and elections mid-next year, the Herald reported him as saying.
The constitution-making committee has proposed a referendum date of June 30. — Sapa-AFP