Zimbabwe talks hit crescendo

  1. Posted on Wednesday 10 September 2008 - 11:02
    Mugadza
    Mugadza Munyaradzi, AfricaNews reporter in Harare, Zimbabwe
    Mugabe and rival Tsvangirai hope to address outstanding issues on Wednesday. The two parties are optimistic that a positive outcome would be reached at the power-sharing talks ongoing in the capital Harare. It is reported that Mugabe has agreed to become a ceremonial president under a new deal.
    opposition_MDC_rally_zimbabwe2
    The mediator, Thabo Mbeki arrived in Zimbabwe on Monday after which the power-sharing talks resumed. The three principals - Robert Mugabe of Zanu PF, Morgan Tsvangirai of the MDC and Arthur Mutambara of the breakaway MDC - are optimistic that the deal would be endorsed on Wednesday.

    "As you are aware these talks have been dragging on for some time now, but I must say that there is a positive development," Tsvangirai said. His counterpart Mugabe also told reporters that the talks would be concluded today but a significant progress had been witnessed. “We are still going to talk. We are finishing tomorrow (Wednesday),” he said. “There is progress, and lack of it, in some areas,” he said. He added that “one or two areas” were still outstanding.

    A special summit meeting on Zimbabwe, due to be held in Swaziland on Wednesday, has been postponed by a day because South Africa's President Thabo Mbeki is remaining in Harare to conduct the negotiations, a South African official told the BBC.

    On Sunday Tsvangirai told his supporters that Mugabe should be the head of state and he (Tsvangirai) becomes the head of government.

    However, Mugabe had vowed that he would not cede more powers to his archrival. But sources privy to the talks revealed that Mugabe had agreed that Tsvangirai becomes the head of government such that all ministers would report to him on a daily basis although he would chair the cabinet.

    Last week Mugabe threatened to appoint a cabinet and gave Tsvangirai ultimatum to sign the power sharing deal but the latter remained defiant and said he would not sign a bad deal. The current talk is seen as the last chance for Mbeki to end the political turmoil in the Southern African country.

    Since last week Thursday inflation, which is estimated to be over 20 million percent as of August is sky-rocketing at 8,000 percent a day. Analysts attributed the situation to the failed talks especially after Tsvangirai refused to sign a deal.

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