Mbeki Moves to Save Power-sharing Deal

(Mail&Guardian)--Former South African president Thabo Mbeki was set to fly to Zimbabwe on Monday in a last-ditch bid to save a power-sharing deal, after the opposition was denied key cabinet posts.

The government announced on the weekend that President Robert Mugabe had awarded his own party all the most important ministries, ensuring his grip over the military, police and other security agencies.

Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai has threatened to pull out of the deal brokered four weeks ago by Mbeki, but a spokesperson said his Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) still hoped to find a solution. ‘Our hope is that the mediator will unlock the deadlock for us to move forward,’ MDC spokesperson Nelson Chamisa said.

Mbeki was expected to arrive in Harare in the afternoon on Monday, his spokesperson, Mukoni Ratshitanga, told the South African Press Association.

Under the deal, 84-year-old Mugabe would remain as president while Tsvangirai would take the new post of prime minister. Their two parties are supposed to split the Cabinet posts along with a small MDC splinter group. But Mugabe has left the MDC holding 13 mostly minor posts, while the MDC faction led by Arthur Mutambara would receive three.

Edwin Mushoriwa, spokesperson for the Mutambara group, said that Mbeki would be asked to find a way to break through the impasse. ‘Each party is going to give its position on the negotiations and the mediator, Mr Mbeki, will help to try to resolve all the outstanding issues,’ Mushoriwa said.

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