HARARE Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirais MDC party last week said that it expected regional leaders to meet next month to discuss problems bedevelling Zimbabwes power-sharing government. The South African Development Community (SADC) brokered last Septembers power-sharing agreement between the MDC and President Robert Mugabes Zanu (PF) party that lThe regional bloc is guarantor to the agreement and promised to review the pact six months after formation of a unity government between Mugabe, Tsvangirai and Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara, who heads a smaller MDC faction. The government has been in office for about five months.
MDC acting secretary general Tapuwa Mashakada told ZimOnline that the party had referred what it regards as Zanu (PF)s insincerity in implementing the power-sharing agreement and a fresh crackdown on MDC members to the SADC, adding that a regional summit could take place by early next month.
We expect another meeting soon to discuss the outstanding issues. I am informed that the meeting might be called in early July but I dont have the actual dates, said Mashakada said, speaking moments after a meeting of the MDC national executive in Harare last Tuesday to discuss problems and developments in the unity government.
The MDC accuses Mugabe of insincerity because the veteran leader who still wields immense power has refused to fire controversial Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor Gideon Gono and Attorney General Johannes Tomana who he appointed to their posts without consulting his coalition partners as required under the power-sharing agreement.
Tsvangirais party also says Tomana and the police have intensified a crackdown against MDC officials and activists which has seen several of the partys legislators arrested and charged in court.
The courts have convicted some of the MDC legislators but the party insists they were framed as part of a drive by Mugabe to whittle down its representation in Parliament.
Tsvangirai did not attend last Tuesdays meeting of the MDC executive council as he was yet to return from a tour of Western capitals to try to raise financial support for the unity government.
The United States and its European Union allies visited by Tsvangirai promised more humanitarian support for Zimbabwe but held back on direct financial support until Harare implements more reforms and acts to uphold human rights.
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