In letter, Mugabe appoints Tsvangirai Prime Minister

• Motlanthe expects Zim government this week

• Ending Zimbabwe's nightmare: A possible way forward

• Motlanthe wants Tsvangirai sworn-in 'immediately'

• MDC threatens to block Amendment 19

• Mugabe raps 'prostitute' Tsvangirai

• Alfi Nyoni: Why Tsvangirai must join government

• Africa shows little appetite for Zim sanctions, intervention

• SA tells Zim leaders to put lives before politics

• Mugabe tells supporters to be ready for new elections

• Post Editorial: Tsvangirai pushing his luck too far

• Zambian newspaper lashes Tsvangirai, warns of 'shifting tide of public opinion'

• Document: Tendai Biti's letter to Mbeki

• Negotiators strike agreement on Constitutional Amendment No. 19

• Talks threatened as Mbeki, Tsvangirai trade barbs

• Mbeki letter 'angers' Tsvangirai

• Zanu PF, MDC negotiators meet in SA

• Elders urge MDC to join unity government

• ANC team to press for Zimbabwe deal

• Motlanthe wants Zim rivals to be sworn-in

• Tsvangirai eyes new Zimbabwe government in 2 months

• South Africa withholds aid to Zimbabwe

• Text: statement by South Africa cabinet on Zimbabwe

• Zimbabwe negotiators set to meet over draft Bill

• Constitutional Amendment 19 draft sent to Mbeki

• Tsvangirai seeks EU support for inclusive government

• MDC (Tsvangirai) national council resolutions

• Tsvangirai's MDC to join unity government

• Tsvangirai running out of options - analysts

• Zanu PF asks Mugabe to form new government

• SADC leans heavily on Tsvangirai to share Home Affairs

• Mugabe vows to form new government

• Document: SADC communique on Zimbabwe, DRC

By Lebo Nkatazo
Posted to the web: 18/12/2008 01:30:11
ZIMBABWEAN President Robert Mugabe has officially appointed Morgan Tsvangirai as the country’s Prime Minister, New Zimbabwe.com learnt last night.

A letter of Tsvangirai’s appointment was delivered to his Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party’s office sometime on Wednesday, a government source told this website.

Tsvangirai remains in Botswana where he says he has no intention of leaving until he has been issued a new passport by the Zimbabwe government. An emergency travel document issued to him when he left Zimbabwe early November has since expired.

Mugabe’s move to appoint Tsvangirai as Prime Minister came just hours after South African President Kgalema Motlanthe who chairs the Southern African Development Community (SADC) said he expected a stalled power sharing agreement between Mugabe and his opposition rivals to be implemented this week.

A draft constitutional amendment was published in an official gazette last Saturday, paving the way for a unity government by creating the post of Prime Minister for Tsvangirai.

Motlanthe said the power-sharing deal "states that once the amendment is gazetted, such a government can be formed almost immediately.

"And once it is in place, we believe it will create the possibility of dealing with the real problems."

The draft gives Mugabe power to swear-in Tsvangirai before the amendment is passed by parliament, and Motlanthe said Saturday he expected the Prime Minister to be sworn-in "with immediate effect.”

Sources said Tsvangirai was under “tremendous pressure” from the African Union and SADC to join a unity government with Mugabe, seen as the only route available to end a decade-long political and economic crisis.

Only last Friday, Tsvangirai indicated that he would not be joining the unity government, insisting that they would not take “responsibility for the mess without the necessary authority” – a reference to his party’s demand to be given control of “key” ministries, including the Home Affairs portfolio in charge of the police.

Complicating issues last night was the Zimbabwe government’s apparent unwillingness to give in to Tsvangirai’s demand to be issued with a new passport.

George Charamba, Mugabe’s spokesman, poked fun at the MDC leader’s stance – saying he never raised the issue of a passport when he visited several European and African countries in recent weeks.

Charamba said: "He does not need a passport to cross the borders of Morocco, Senegal, Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania. He needs a passport, what more a diplomatic passport, to cross the border of Zimbabwe, his homeland.

"It’s plain silly. The truth of the matter is that he has breached the time scale of his ETD and thinks the government may arrest him. There is neither rhyme nor reason to his argument.”

Mugabe is expected to remain President under the arrangement, with Tsvangirai becoming Prime Minister with two deputies – Arthur Mutambara, the leader of a rival MDC faction and Thokozani Khupe, Tsvangirai’s vice in the MDC.

The government has gazetted the 31 ministries which are shared between the parties, although Mugabe was recently forced to agree to a SADC proposal to co-share the Home Affairs Ministry with Tsvangirai’s MDC.

In negotiations, Mugabe also lost the Finance Ministry to Tsvangirai, although it remains unclear which ministry moves the other way.

ENVISAGED NEW UNITY GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE:

President: Robert Mugabe (Zanu PF)
(Head of state, Chairs cabinet, Chairs National Security Council)

Vice Presidents: Joice Mujuru and Joseph Msika (both Zanu PF)

Prime Minister: Morgan Tsvangirai (MDC-T)
(Chairs Council of Ministers; Runs the country day-to-day; Member of National Security Council)

Deputy Prime Ministers: Arthur Mutambara (MDC-M), Thokozani Khupe (MDC-T)

MINISTRY ALLOCATIONS:

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
14. Finance
- Home Affairs (co-shared with Zanu PF)

(Tsvangirai's MDC to lose one ministry to Zanu PF after Finance concession. Can appoint 6 deputy ministers)

MDC Mutambara: 3

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

(Can appoint 1 deputy minister)

Zanu PF: 15

1. Defence
2. Home Affairs (co-shared with MDC-T)
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

(Zanu PF to gain 1 ministry from Tsvangirai MDC after losing Finance in negotiations. Can appoint 6 deputy ministers)
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