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Mbeki set to review Zimbabwe's constitutional bill
Zimbabwe has sent a draft copy of a constitutional amendment empowering President Robert Mugabe unilaterally to form a government to mediator Thabo Mbeki for review, the state-run Herald newspaper said on Wednesday.
- Agencies
- Published: 12:48 November 19, 2008
Harare: Zimbabwe has sent a draft copy of a constitutional amendment empowering President Robert Mugabe unilaterally to form a government to mediator Thabo Mbeki for review, the state-run Herald newspaper said on Wednesday.
The opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) has refused to enter the government, accusing Mugabe's Zanu-PF party of trying to take the most powerful ministries and freeze out the MDC, violating a September 15 power-sharing deal, leading to a two-month deadlock in talks over the formation of a cabinet.
The deal, signed after intense mediation by former South African President Mbeki, may unravel if the veteran Zimbabwean leader pushes ahead with the plan to name a cabinet without opposition agreement, jeopardising what is seen as the country's best chance of reversing a deep economic slide.
"Draft Constitutional Amendment Number 19 Bill has been completed and sent to the mediator in South Africa (Mbeki) after scrutiny by the parties concerned," the Herald quoted Information Minister Sikhanyiso Ndlovu as saying on Tuesday.
MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai said on Tuesday that the amendment had no chance of being passed in parliament, now controlled by the opposition. The MDC won a parliamentary election in March.
Tsvangirai also won a joint presidential election but without the required majority to avoid a run-off with Mugabe. The MDC leader boycotted the second round because of violent attacks on his supporters and Mugabe breezed to an easy victory.
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