Zimbabwe - MDC sets Mugabe Monday Deadline

THE Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) led by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai raised the stakes in talks to finalise terms of power sharing with President Robert Mugabe’s Zanu PF with a threat to pull out of the unity government, at least after May 17.

The New Zimbabwe website reports that Tendai Biti, the MDC’s secretary general and Finance Minister said if the outstanding issues were not resolved by next Monday, the MDC would “refer the issue to the party’s supreme making decision body, the National Council” which meets on May 17.

The veiled threat to pull-out of the power sharing government with Zanu PF and a rival MDC faction led by Arthur Mutambara is designed to pile pressure on Mugabe in on-going talks with Tsvangirai and Mutambara – all signatories to a deal signed on September 15 last year.

The MDC says it wants a reversal of Mugabe’s unilateral appointment of an Attorney General and Reserve Bank Governor after the signing of the power sharing pact. The appointment of ambassadors and permanent secretaries also remains unresolved, Biti told a press conference.

The MDC is also concerned over Mugabe’s reluctance to swear in Roy Bennett as deputy agriculture minister because of an ongoing court case in which the white former commercial farmer is charged with weapons possession and an alleged plot to overthrow Mugabe’s government.

“The delay in finding a lasting solution to outstanding issues is of great concern to the MDC. In our view these issues should have been concluded soon after the formation of the inclusive government in February,” Biti said.

He said the party was worried that some elements in government, Zanu PF, the security forces and public media “continued to disregard some clear provisions laid out in the Global Political Agreement”.

“There are a number of toxic and poisonous attitudes that some of these institutions are showing. Their attitude is as if they are in a war situation,” Biti added.

He said the detention of 18 activists facing domestic terrorism charges over an alleged plot to carry out an insurrection against the government threatened progress made since the unity government took office in February.

"The decision to re-arrest is a political decision to undo the little progress of this government," Biti said.

Western donors have demanded major political reforms before considering aid for the government, which is seeking US$8.5 billion dollars to revive the devastated economy over the next three years.

Biti said: “We find it unacceptable that when we want to make progress there are some people whose conduct is inconsistent with rebuilding a new Zimbabwe.”