Parliamentary clerk Austin Zvoma told state television on Tuesday that plans to swear in newly elected Members of Parliament either next Monday or Tuesday were at an advanced stage.
“Parliament will be sworn in on Monday or Tuesday next week, Zimbabwe Television quoted Zvoma as having said.
Tsvangirai’s Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party, which had earlier opposed Mugabe convening Parliament or forming a new Cabinet before conclusion of talks, appeared to backtrack saying it was agreeable to its MPs being sworn in next week.
But acting party spokesman Tapiwa Mashakada said the MDC remained opposed to Mugabe naming a new Cabinet saying this would upset the scope of discussions on forming a power-sharing government that many analysts say is the only way to end Zimbabwe’s deepening political and economic crisis.
Our MPs are going to be sworn in to take their democratic mandate which they got from the people on March 29, Mashakada told ZimOnline.
Asked if the MDC was also agreeable to Mugabe naming a new Cabinet to run the country – a step the veteran leader is most likely to take once Parliament is convened – Mashaka said: If he goes ahead to form a Cabinet, it would be unilateral.
It will upset the scope of the discussions. The issue of Cabinet has to be resolved at the talks.
Tsvangirai’s MDC, which leads Mugabe’s ruling ZANU PF party by a single seat in the key lower chamber of Parliament, can do little to stop the veteran President from forming a new government after he is said to have reached agreement during talks with a breakaway faction of the MDC led by Arthur Mutambara.
The 10 seats controlled by Mutambara’s faction are enough to give Mugabe control of the House of Assembly – although the opposition faction has vehemently denied entering into any pact with ZANU PF.
However, political analysts say any power-sharing government involving Mugabe and Mutambara without Tsvangirai would be rejected by the international community while Western governments whose aid is vital to any plan to resuscitate Zimbabwe’s comatose economy are certain to withhold support. – ZimOnline
Post published in: News