Mugabe risks MDC fury by releasing list of ministries for parties

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By Lebo Nkatazo
Posted to the web: 10/10/2008 20:24:13
ZIMBABWE’S President Robert Mugabe risked confrontation with the opposition on Friday after publishing a list of ministries which he said had been allocated to the three parties to a power-sharing agreement.

In a surprise development, coming just hours after a meeting between Mugabe, and opposition MDC faction leaders Arthur Mutambara and Morgan Tsvangirai broke off without agreement on the cabinet, Mugabe assigned 30 of the 31 ministries – 15 for his Zanu PF party, 13 for Tsvangirai’s MDC and three for Mutambara’s MDC.

Only the Finance portfolio remained unassigned.

In a government gazette, using his powers in terms of paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of section 31D of the Constitution which says the President “shall appoint Ministers and may assign functions to such Ministers, including the administration of any Act of Parliament or of any Ministry or department…”, Mugabe said there was still discussion over the Finance Ministry.

New Zimbabwe.com could not obtain a copy of the gazette, but reliable sources said it had been availed to the state media for publication late on Friday by Zanu PF’s chief negotiator and outgoing Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa.

MDC Tsvangirai spokesman Nelson Chamisa said the ministry allocation was “just a wish list for Zanu PF and some in the other MDC”.

"There is bitter disagreement on Finance, Home Affairs, Local Government, Foreign Affairs, Education, Media and Justice," he said.

Earlier on Friday, Chinamasa told reporters that Mugabe, Tsvangirai and Mutambara had asked former South African President Thabo Mbeki “to come and assist in overcoming the impasse" on the sharing of cabinet posts.

Edwin Mushoriwa, a spokesman for Mutambara's MDC said in another statement that Mbeki was expected in Harare "early next week".

Mbeki painstakingly got the power-sharing accord signed last month between the three leaders, raising hopes that Zimbabwe will emerge from its dragging political drama and economic meltdown.

But no sooner had the parties signed the power sharing agreement, which will see Tsvangirai become Prime Minister and Mugabe remain President, that the parties started haggling over who gets which ministry in the new government.

These are the ministries gazetted by Mugabe, with a footnote that discussion is on-going over Finance:

MDC Tsvangirai: 13

1 Constitutional and Parliamentary Affairs
2 Economic Planning and Investment Promotion
3 Energy and Power Development
4 Health and Child Welfare
5 Labour and Social Welfare
6 Water Resources Development and Management
7 Public Service
8 Sport, Arts and Culture
9 State Enterprise and Parastatals
10 Science and Technology Development
11 Information Communication Technology
12 Public Works
13 National Housing and Social Amenities

MDC Mutambara: 3

1 Regional Integration and International Cooperation
2 Education
3 Industry and Commerce

Zanu PF: 15

1 Defence
2 Home Affairs
3 Foreign Affairs
4 Transport
5 Local Government and Urban Development
6 Mines and Mining Development
7 Lands, Agriculture and Resettlement
8 Environment, Natural Resources and Tourism
9 Higher and Tertiary Education
10 Small and Medium Enterprises and Cooperative Development
11 Justice and Legal Affairs
12 Media, Information and Publicity
13 Women’s Affairs, Gender and Community Development
14 Youth Development, Indigenisation and Empowerment
15 Finance

There is still a debate on the finance ministry.
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