On Wednesday the leaders left the talks venue in high spirits promising to finalise talks on Thursday although both President Robert Mugabe and opposition MDC party chief negotiator Tendai Biti seemed to have toned down their optimism as they arrived for talks today.
Asked if the talks mediated by former South African President Thabo Mbeki would be finalised today Mugabe curtly said; I can’t say but I would like to tell you (so).
Biti, who last night said a deal was in sight and confidently declared history is being made and things are happening, preferred to ask reporters where is that optimism coming from after he was asked whether a deal could be sealed today.
However Arthur Mutambara, who heads a breakaway faction of the MDC, was more hopeful that the parties would settle the issue today leading to the formation of a government to begin to tackle the country’s deteriorating economic and food crisis.
The people of Zimbabwe want us to settle this matter once and for all, Mutambara told reporters, adding; So today we are here to bring finality and closure to this debate around the Cabinet so that we can get down to work, which is salvaging the Zimbabwean economy.
Mbeki returned to Harare on Monday night on an urgent mission to salvage the historic power-sharing deal that he brokered a month ago between Mugabe, Mutambara and MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai.
The September 15 power-sharing deal had looked in danger of failing after Mugabe last weekend unilaterally allocated the key ministries of defence, home and foreign affairs, information, local government and provisionally finance to his ruling ZANU PF before conclusion of negotiations with the MDC.
Tsvangirai reacted to the move by threatening to quit the deal if Mugabe stuck to his decision to take all the key ministries. The opposition leader said fresh elections would have to be called if the power-sharing deal collapses.
– ZimOnline
Post published in: News