Kholwani Nyathi
21 September 2008
Harare — Ideological differences between Zimbabwe's traditional political foes remain a major threat to the new inclusive government constituted last week in a bid to end the once prosperous country's economic and political crisis.
Euphoria generated by the signing of the power sharing agreement between long time ruler, Mr Robert Mugabe and leaders of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) has started to dissipate because of a potentially destructive row over the allocation of cabinet portfolios.
Zimbabwe has been without a cabinet since the presidential election's second round in June.
Has been blamed
But Zanu PF and the MDC cannot agree on the portfolios and the moves, or lack of them has been blamed on a serious clash of ideologies.
A multi-party Cabinet is to be led by Mr Mugabe, who has ruled Zimbabwe since independence in 1980, as president. Mr Morgan Tsvangirai, the MDC leader holds the newly created post of prime minister.
Analysts say the octogenarian leader who is facing a backlash from Zanu PF heavy weights accusing him of selling out by signing the deal views the agreement as a capitulation to Western powers he accuses of sponsoring the opposition.
This, they say makes it unlikely that he would make further concessions by granting Mr Tsvangirai's wish to control the key economic and security ministries.
The agenda favoured both by Tvangirai and the major Western donors will serve to dismantle Mr Mugabe's violent and corrupt system and the veteran ruler hopes that by retaining control of the key ministries, he will frustrate them.
Zanu PF - with an allocation of 15 portfolios in an inflated 31-ministry cabinet to the MDC factions' 16 - has refused to budge on a wish list of 15 key ministries including Defence, Information, Home Affairs, Foreign Affairs, Finance, Agriculture, Justice, Mines, Higher Education, Youth Development and Women's Affairs portfolios.
A meeting between Mr Mugabe, Mr Tsvangirai and Professor Arthur Mutambara, the deputy prime minister designate ended in deadlock last week.
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