MDC wants summit to end feud

MDC Spokesman Nelson Chamisa

HARARE - Zimbabwe's opposition party expects a southern African summit this weekend to resolve an impasse on how to share control of key ministries under a troubled power-sharing deal, a spokesperson said on Tuesday.

“We are expecting the equitable distribution of key ministries,” said Nelson Chamisa, spokesperson for the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).

“We are hoping the Sunday meeting is the final negotiation to start a new chapter. The people are suffering and we should start acting to make sure we alleviate the problems facing the people,” he said.

“We expect finality and closure to this whole issue. The suspense and anxiety has been excruciatingly painful for Zimbabweans,” Chamisa added.

Leaders of the 15-nation Southern African Development Community (SADC) will meet on Sunday in South Africa to try to salvage a power-sharing deal in Zimbabwe.

President Robert Mugabe and MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai signed the deal on September 15, but efforts to form a unity government have stalled over disputes on which party will control the most important ministries.

Key regional leaders have held two smaller summits over the last three weeks in hopes of pressing the rivals into a compromise, particularly over control of the home affairs ministry, which oversees the police.

The full SADC summit this weekend will now try to broker a deal to save the unity accord, which had originally been hailed as an end to months of political unrest and a step toward pulling Zimbabwe from economic ruin. – AFP

Post published in: News

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *