|
JOBS | INSURANCE | PROPERTY | SHOPPING |
|
|
THE SMART NEWS SOURCE | Mar 12 2010 21:38 | LAST UPDATED Mar 12 2010 21:38 |
|
Zimbabwe's Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) on Wednesday accused President Robert Mugabe of trying to tear apart a unity pact by threatening to replace Cabinet ministers chosen by the former opposition. "It is tantamount to tearing apart the unity government," MDC spokesperson Nelson Chamisa said. The state-run Herald reported on Wednesday that Mugabe was pondering replacing MDC ministers who have not attended Cabinet meetings since Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai cut ties with Mugabe's Zanu-PF after a deadlock over key issues. "His Excellency may have to consider appointing ministers in an acting capacity to key ministries for the sake of a successful agricultural season and general economic turnaround," Agriculture Minister Joseph Made told the Herald. "Important Cabinet decisions have to be translated into action expeditiously," he said. Chamisa slammed Mugabe for acting outside the spirit of the global political agreement (GPA), which has been hampered by a deadlock over key appointments on which Mugabe insists and by a crackdown on MDC supporters. "That is a laughable proposition. This is precisely the reason why we are deadlocked. They are in a mode of unilateralism and arrogance which has not helped the spirit of the GPA," Chamisa said. "You cannot appoint an acting minister when there is a substantive minister. It will create a parallel government," he added. The unity government, created in February a year after disputed polls, is in deep trouble and hopes are pinned on a meeting by the Southern African Development Community (SADC) security organ on Thursday to resolve the latest impasse.  CONTINUES BELOW "This deadlock will have to be broken. SADC and the AU will have to break this deadlock. It is in the interest of all of us," said Chamisa. The MDC has accused the Zanu-PF of spurious arrests, and said on Tuesday that the party's transport manager, Pascal Gwezere, had been abducted and arrested hours after a similar attempt on another party member. ’Serious diplomatic incident’ Meanwhile, United Nations human rights expert Manfred Nowak was detained at Harare airport on Wednesday by Zimbabwean security agents, even though he said he had been invited by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai. The Austrian academic arrived in Zimbabwe from Johannesburg, a stopover over on his way to Harare. Nowak, reached by Reuters on his mobile phone, said he faced deportation to South Africa and added: "I had not anticipated this. This is a serious diplomatic incident." A Reuters reporter saw Nowak being approached by four Zimbabwean security officials at Harare airport after he had cleared immigration. His passport was taken by the officials who later led him and two colleagues back to a VIP lounge where they were to be detained overnight. "They have confiscated our passports and we are now in some area of the departure lounge," Nowak said. "Two things have to happen. We are told we have to get clearance from the minister of foreign affairs or if we can't, we would be put on the next flight back to Johannesburg." Nowak was in South Africa when he was told the Zimbabwe government had postponed his visit, but he told Reuters he had an invitation from Tsvangirai. "I have produced the invitation from the PM but the immigration officials are insisting that we need the clearance from the protocol officer from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs," Nowak said. "We have been in touch with the Prime Minister's office and they are running around to try get that clearance. I have an appointment to meet the PM tomorrow at 1 am." Nowak's invitation marked the first time Zimbabwe had offered to open up to an expert working for the UN Human Rights Council. Nowak is the council's special rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment. -- AFP, Reuters TOPICS IN THIS ARTICLE
Comments
What exactly did the African political establishment expect from this sham of power sharing. I am no political analyst but even I knew from the beginning Mugabe would ignore the arrangement. The MDC should now know that the African Union is pro Mugabe.
Paul Young on October 29, 2009, 8:16 am
Paul: Those home truths are taking a long time to sink in. Mugabe had no intention of co-operating.
Marius de Kock on October 29, 2009, 11:45 am
proof that zapiro is right! He depicted Tsvangurai with both hands up when he swore allegiance in front of Mug. Botswana better get ready to shelter Morgan again when the whole farce blows up in Zimbabwe. Nemesis (revenge) is coming uncle bob!
Derek James
derek james on October 29, 2009, 12:35 pm
People in Zimbabwe are fond of rewarding failure.At one moment they rewarded a tribalist and racist with votes and he ended up printing money and bringing all the evil imaginable in the world.Now they have this man Tsvangirai who talks of tearing the govt. apart .Did he not tear his own party before Mugabe started all this?hE IS A FAILURE FULLSTOP.aNY OPPOSITION IN THE WORLD WANTS TO GET SUPPORT ALLOVER THE COUNTRY , HE GETS IT BUT LOOK AT THIS HALF BAKED REVOLUTION HE ENDED UP GIVING TO THE PEOPLE.Its true people get leaders they deserve because look at what these people are stuck with....The guys simple has no intellectual muscle neither does he have physical muscle to stand the heat..Its unfortuante they are powers in the world that struck some deals with him so we suffer because of that ...shame on this sham
somhlaba mthunzi on October 29, 2009, 3:45 pm
click here to log in
M&G Online Comment Guidelines In Brief
Advertising Links
|
Find all your Unisa books you require for your studies and get them delivered right to your doorstep!
It's sale time again with fantastic savings on 1 000s of titles. Get some of the best books at discounted prices now.
46 000 DVDs and Blu-Ray Dics to choose from. Get up to 60% off at the Orange Sale.
100s of new releases now in stock! Sade, Foo Fighters, John Mayer & more!
Lots of Toys, free gift wrap, lowest prices on Lego Mindstorm, Ben 10, Hannah Montana & more!
AdvertisementsAdvertising links |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
4 comments
Make us your home page | Add our headlines to your site | Desktop news with NewsFlash
Contact us | About us | Story tip-offs | Online advertising | Print advertising | Subscriptions | Topics A-Z | Corrections | Mobile sites
All material © Mail & Guardian Online. Material may not be published or reproduced in any form without prior written permission.
Read the site privacy policy and Ispa code of conduct relating to our blog hosting.
RSS feed
This site is proudly hosted by Internet Solutions. We are a member of the Online Publishers Association.
Contact us | About us | Story tip-offs | Online advertising | Print advertising | Subscriptions | Topics A-Z | Corrections | Mobile sites
All material © Mail & Guardian Online. Material may not be published or reproduced in any form without prior written permission.
Read the site privacy policy and Ispa code of conduct relating to our blog hosting.
RSS feed
This site is proudly hosted by Internet Solutions. We are a member of the Online Publishers Association.
 |  |  |