(Photo Courtesy Fikile)

Maputo — Sadc leaders yesterday convinced MDC-T leader Mr Morgan Tsvangirai to end his party's "disengagement" from the inclusive Government following a mini regional summit here.

Speaking to the media at the end of a summit of the bloc's Organ on Politics, Defence and Security, Mr Tsvangirai said they would, however, review their position after 30 days.

He did not say what course of action MDC-T would take if the issues he wanted addressed were not dealt with to his satisfaction at the expiry of the deadline.

Zanu-PF representatives could not be immediately reached to comment on the matter.

"We have suspended our disengagement from the GPA (Global Political Agreement) with immediate effect and we will give President Robert Mugabe 30 days to implement the agreement on the pertinent issues we are concerned about," he said.

Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara said he was "very satisfied" with the outcome of the summit.

The official summit communique had not been made public at the time of writing.

However, informed sources last night said Mr Tsvangirai's announcement was in line with regional leaders' expectations that his party engages the other partners in the inclusive Government to resolve any differences attendant to the GPA.

Sadc leaders, including President Mugabe, have in the past two weeks stressed that it is up to the parties in the inclusive Government to sort out their problems.

Opening the summit, President Armando Guebuza, who chairs the Troika, said Zanu-PF and the two MDC formations had shown commitment to resolving their differences and maintaining political stability for the country's economic recovery.

He said indications were the parties "share more common views than disagreements".

President Guebuza said they should work on strengthening areas of convergence for the benefit of Zimbabweans and Southern Africa.

The Mozambican leader made similar observations on the political situation in Lesotho.

The summit was held to review the general political situation in the DRC, Lesotho, Madagascar and Zimbabwe.

"In both Lesotho and Zimbabwe, we are fully aware that the political parties share more common views than disagreements," said President Guebuza, who was flanked by Sadc executive secretary Dr Tomaz Salamao.

"They do the most they can to overcome these disagreements and have shown great commitment in implementing policies and programmes that can answer the great desires of their people.

"We would like to point out that the challenges that have emerged can be overcome.

"In this framework, they must do the best they can to maintain political stability to allow foreign direct investment and the relaunch of economic activity in the country."

President Guebuza challenged the parties to pledge full commitment to working together.

He added that the report of the ministerial mission that visited Zimbabwe last week to review the Global Political Agreement provided useful pointers on the way forward.

Prior to the summit, media reports claimed that the ministerial mission's visit and yesterday's meeting were a direct result of MDC-T's lobby following that party's "disengagement" from Government.

The Organ chairman, however, indicated that the developments were in line with prior Sadc arrangements made at a summit of regional Heads of State and Government in the DRC in September.

President Mugabe, who is the Head of State and Government and Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, attended the meeting after President Guebuza extended an invitation to him.

Mr Tsvangirai, Prof Mutambara and Ms Thokozani Khupe were also invited.

Apart from President Guebuza, other members of the Troika are Zambia's President Rupiah Banda (deputy chair) -- who was represented by his Defence Minister Dr Kalombo Mwansa -- and Swaziland's King Mswati III.

South African President Jacob Zuma was present as an observer.

Others present included Cdes Emmerson Mnangagwa and Patrick Chinamasa (Zanu-PF), Mr Tendai Biti, Mr Elton Mangoma (both MDC-T), Professor Welshman Ncube, and Mrs Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga (both MDC).

Sources said MDC-T raised its usual concerns about Roy Bennett's swearing in as Deputy Agriculture Minister, the appointment of provincial governors and the status of Reserve Bank governor Dr Gideon Gono and Attorney-General Mr Johannes Tomana.

Zanu-PF has said MDC-T has not played its part in the implementation of the GPA by calling for the lifting of the economic sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe by the West.

External interference in the country's domestic affairs through the beaming of hate messages by pirate radio stations and the setting up of parallel government structures by the Prime Minister's Office are also among Zanu-PF's concerns.

"Zanu-PF maintains that these (MDC-T's concerns) are peripheral issues compared to the substantial issue of sanctions.

"This embargo is hurting the generality of Zimbabweans," the sources said.

"In fact, there is dishonesty on the part of the Prime Minister because he wants to use sanctions as leverage against Zanu-PF.

"His party also wants to use the sanctions to get Zanu-PF to comply with its demands.

"There is evidence that they want the sanctions to remain in force and this was their brief to the EU Troika that visited the country recently. So Zanu-PF wants this addressed."

President Mugabe has pointed out that Bennett will only be sworn into office if he is cleared of the terror-related charges he is facing in the High Court.

MDC-T started boycotting participation in Government on October 16 and ministers from that party missed three consecutive Cabinet sessions.

President Mugabe indicated that State functions would not be paralysed by that action and Government would continue operating in the best interests of the people.

However, there were efforts at rapprochement and it is understood that had the three principals met on Monday, they would have agreed on a common position ahead of yesterday's summit.