"The cabinet meeting is over. President Robert Mugabe and Prime
Minister Tsvangirai attended," Tsvangirai’s spokesperson James Maridadi
told reporters, without giving further details. However the session
came as Tsvangirai’s choice to become deputy agriculture minister, Roy
Bennett, was brought before court to face charges the prime minister’s
MDC party insists are trumped-up.
Bennett, a white farmer and former lawmaker, was arrested last Friday
shortly before his MDC colleagues were sworn in to serve in the new
cabinet in a move that served to heighten the mistrust between the two
factions. The 52-year-old, whose farm was expropriated by the state as
part of Mugabe’s controversial land reform programme, was initially
charged with treason although the charge was later changed to
attempting to commit terrorism, banditry and sabotage, and conspiring
to acquire arms. However Bennett’s lawyer said that his client had now
been slapped with fresh charges which were due to be levelled by
magistrates in the city of Mutare. "They are bringing new charges
against him, we are told. These charges deal with possession of
firearms and weapons," Maanda told reporters. "These are imaginary
charges. We are waiting to hear them."
Bennett, who received an eight-month prison sentence in 2004 for
pushing Mugabe’s justice minister in parliament, was the most eyebrow
raising nominee by Tsvangirai. The MDC said in a statement on Tuesday
that it was "inconceivable" that Bennett’s nomination for office would
be withdrawn.
"The earlier that is accepted, the earlier the inclusive government can
get down to the real work of creating conditions for economic recovery
and dismantling institutions of dictatorship that have haunted Zimbabwe
for some long," it said. "The country needs healing." The MDC’s
secretary general and newly appointed finance minister Tendai Biti –
who also has treason charges hanging over his head – hinted on Monday
that the party would take unspecified "action" if Bennett was not
released. "The prime minister is in touch with Mugabe. We hope that the
situation will be resolved today," Biti told South African radio.