Mugabe returns, says cabinet by end of the week

GOVERNMENT: Mugabe denied cabinet talks deadlocked

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Posted to the web: 29/09/2008 15:20:42
ZIMBABWEAN President Robert Mugabe on Monday said a new unity government would be formed by the end of the week, denying a deadlock in talks with the opposition over key ministries.

"We will be setting up government by the end of the week," Mugabe said on his return from the United Nations general assembly meeting in New York.

"We never said there was a deadlock."

Speaking to supporters at the airport, Mugabe said four remaining ministries were referred to negotiators before he left Zimbabwe on September 19.

"We discussed the ministries the day before I left. There were four left which we referred to our negotiators to discuss," he said.

The negotiators met last week but failed to reach agreement before resolving to throw the issue back at Mugabe and opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) faction leaders Morgan Tsvangirai and Arthur Mutambara.

The 84-year-old veteran leader also warned against outside interference in Zimbabwe's affairs, days after he called in the UN general assembly for "illegally imposed sanctions" to be lifted.

"We should never tolerate interference in the domestic affairs of our country. We will be very strict, no outsiders will be allowed to follow parties and politics. Any country which does that declares itself an enemy of Zimbabwe," he said.

Main opposition leader and designated prime minister Tsvangirai said Saturday it was "urgent" the country form a new government to ensure food supplies and prevent starvation.

"We need to respond to this crisis with utmost urgency. It is therefore imperative that a government be formed in the next few days and begins to implement plans to insure that our people have food and do not die of starvation," Tsvangirai said at a press conference in Harare.

Tsvangirai said the food security situation needed urgent attention as there would be "disastrous consequences if we take too long to attend to the crisis."

Mugabe, in power for nearly three decades, signed an historic accord on September 15 with the opposition that allows him to remain as head of state while Tsvangirai takes up the new post of prime minister. - AFP
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