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Published by the government of Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe: New Cabinet Imminent

Mabasa Sasa

11 November 2008

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PRESIDENT Mugabe is said to have invited MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai to submit the list of ministers from his party and expressed optimism that a Cabinet will be in place soon following recommendations by the Extraordinary Summit of Sadc Heads of State and Government in Sandton, South Africa, over the weekend, that the inclusive Government be established urgently.

Zanu-PF chief negotiator Cde Patrick Chinamasa yesterday told ZTV that President Mugabe had invited Mr Tsvangirai to submit names for ministers from his party.

"We invited Mr Tsvangirai to submit names from his party. Whether he will respond positively or not only time will tell," he said.

Speaking to the media earlier on at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg before returning to Zimbabwe early yesterday morning, President Mugabe expressed optimism that the decisions expressed in the final communiqué would soon be implemented.

"We will try to institute the decisions reached by the summit as quickly as possible. Maybe this week, maybe next week, but as soon as possible," he said.

Asked if the two opposition MDC parties would come on board in the envisaged inclusive Government, President Mugabe said: "I hope they do. Sadc has been very persuasive this time around. Of course, they cannot force any decision on any country and at the end of the day it is up to us as Zimbabweans to implement the recommendations. All they can do is make recommendations and I hope they (the opposition) come on board."

The final communiqué said it was imperative that a new Government be put in place pursuant to the September 15, 2008 agreement that paved the way for the creation of an administration headed by President Mugabe with MDC-T and MDC filling several Cabinet portfolios.

The summit also endorsed the earlier position of the Sadc Organ on Politics, Defence and Security calling for co-management of the contentious Ministry of Home Affairs by Zanu-PF and MDC-T.

MDC-T had demanded sole control of the ministry with Zanu-PF insisting the portfolio should be shared for national security reasons.

The summit decision clears the way for the formation of an inclusive Government while calling for immediate steps to be taken to legislate Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment Number 19 which will give legal effect to the September 15 agreement.

Insiders close to the proceedings in Sunday's meetings said Sadc leaders had at the end of the day been left convinced that co-managing Home Affairs "presented the best possible way for the agreement to move forward".

They also said the vast majority of leaders had rejected attempts by MDC-T leader Mr Morgan Tsvangirai to widen the discussions to include other ministries, gubernatorial seats and ambassadorial appointments.

"Tsvangirai wanted the summit to discuss a number of ministries, but the leaders said the report from the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security indicated that the only outstanding issue was Home Affairs.

"President (Hifikepunye) Pohamba (of Namibia), in particular, was quite steadfast on this and pointed out that the Organ had released a communiqué in Harare making it clear that Home Affairs was the sticking point.

"He said the communiqué had been issued after Tsvangirai had seen it and consented to it as a true reflection of the status of the talks and he, thus, could not keep on tabling new issues at the table," one of the sources said.

Another source said: "Initially three countries appeared to be sympathetic to Tsvangirai's calls for fresh matters to be tabled, but after much discussion they too agreed that Home Affairs was the matter on the table, that it be co-managed and that a government be put in place.

"The emphasis all throughout was on the need for a substantive government to be formed so that Zimbabwe could focus on addressing matters of food security and economic recovery."

The source said Mr Tsvangirai told Sadc leaders that he would accept the decision with reservations.

"He said he had reservations, but it was pointed out to him that President Mugabe also had reservations but these should not be allowed to stall national progress. He subsequently said he would accept the decision despite his reservations."

However, soon after the summit, Mr Tsvangirai told the international media that he could not accept the decision.

The summit also addressed the conflict in eastern DRC and Sadc chair President Kgalema Motlanthe of South Africa told the opening session that the regional bloc was calling for an immediate ceasefire to facilitate humanitarian assistance.

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