MDC under intense pressure to pull out of the deal

 

While the majority of the party’s big hitters have so far backed Morgan Tsvangirai for not caving in to Robert Mugabe’s demands to control key ministries in a new government, hawks within the party are becoming increasingly frustrated by the lack of progress.

 

A source in Harare told Newsreel the majority of MDC MPs are from urban constituencies that have borne the brunt of the country’s economic crisis. The MDC controls almost all urban constituencies where supply of electricity is now down to four hours a day. Water shortages and sewage flowing through the streets of most towns and cities have become part of daily life. The living conditions for most Zimbabweans are becoming more and more intolerable.

 

Following the collapse of the latest round of talks between Mugabe and Tsvangirai on Tuesday, reports said the MDC was seriously mulling a withdrawal from the negotiations. Talks will only resume once Zanu-PF agrees to conditions that ensure a fair sharing of cabinet posts in terms of the political agreement signed on September 15.

 

There is intense debate among the party leadership on what to do next after yesterday’s (Tuesday) failure by the two leaders to agree on the sharing of ministries. There are those who want out and whe have those who want to give the deal a chance, so they’re equally split on the next course of action,’ our source said.

 

Meanwhile Reuters reports that former South African President Thabo Mbeki has not yet agreed to continue mediating power-sharing talks between Mugabe and Tsvangirai.

 

A South African official told the news agency on Wednesday that Mbeki has not yet made his intensions known since stepping down as president.

 

He hasn’t made that pronouncement, Thabang Chiloane, a spokesman for Mbeki’s successor, President Kgalema Motlanthe, said when asked if the deposed leader had agreed to keep mediating in the country’s political crisis.

Chiloane said Frank Chikane; the director general in the Presidency has been speaking with Mbeki about carrying on as head of the mediation team. Lovemore Madhuku, chairman of the National Constitutional Assembly (NCA), said he believed the whole deal was not in danger over the stalemate. He said Mbeki may need to get involved again especially if the deadlock continues for another week or so. – SW Radio African News