BBC Online.
Zimbabwe rivals in historic pact.
RE****TED DEAL Robert Mugabe: President, Heads armed forces Chairs
cabinet Zanu-PF has 15 ministers
Morgan Tsvangirai: Prime minister, Chairs council of ministers Controls
police force MDC has 16 ministers - 3 from smaller faction
Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe has signed a historic power-sharing
deal with his long-time political rival, opposition leader Morgan
Tsvangirai.
The two smiled and shook hands at the ceremony in the capital, Harare,
attended by African dignitaries.
Mr Tsvangirai said the agreement provided the best hope for Zimbabwe
and called on President Mugabe to work together to implement the deal.
Mr Mugabe said he was committed to national unity and would do "his
best".
Mr Mugabe, Mr Tsvangirai and Arthur Mutambara - leader of a breakaway
faction of Mr Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) -
signed the agreement in front of some 3,000 invited guests in Harare's
International Conference Centre.
The signatories were introduced in the terms used in the agreement - Mr
Mugabe as president and Mr Tsvangirai as prime minister.
To rapturous applause, the leaders shook hands after exchanging signed
copies.
Mr Mugabe accused the former colonial power - the UK - of meddling in
his country's affairs by calling for a "regime change" and by imposing
sanctions.
He received loud jeers when he said opposition parties in Zimbabwe and
other African nations using any means, "including violence", in order
to achieve power.
He said there were "lots of things" in the deal that neither leader
liked but that they would work together to "find our way".
"As long as salient principles are recognised, there will be room for
more agreement," Mr Mugabe said.
In his speech, Mr Tsvangirai said the agreement was a "product of
painful compromises" and that it did not provide "an instant cure" to
the fortunes of Zimbabwe.
"I've signed this agreement because I believe it represents the best
op****tunity for us to build a peaceful and prosperous democratic
Zimbabwe," he said.
His hope for the future was stronger than the grief felt for "the
needless suffering of the past years", he said.
In a gesture of reconciliation, Mr Tsvangirai quoted a speech on
reconciliation made by Mr Mugabe in 1980, saying "it is time to turn
our swords into ploughshares".
The MDC leader said his first priority was to stop Zimbabwe's
devastating food shortages and open the country to aid from the
international community and its African neighbours.
"This unity government will let businesses flourish so our people can
work and provide for their families with pride," he said.
The new Deputy Prime Minister, Mr Mutambara, said the compromise
agreement was a victory for Zimbabwe.
The ceremony was somewhat marred, however, by clashes between MDC and
Zanu-PF sup****ters outside the conference centre, who threw stones at
each other and trampled part of the perimeter fence.
Nevertheless, the BBC's George Alagiah in Harare says that the mood
among ordinary Zimbabweans is one of relief rather than outright
jubilation. People just want to get on with their lives.
'Highly polarised'
The full details and content of the deal have not been confirmed but it
proposes a 50-50 division of power, with Mr Mugabe remaining head of
state and head of the cabinet.
Morgan Tsvangirai will head a council of ministers, which will be
responsible for the day-to-day managing of the country's affairs.
The MDC and its breakaway faction are expected to have 16 ministers,
while President Mugabe's Zanu-PF party will have 15.
HAVE YOUR SAY Let's just say the deal is a step in the right direction
GS, Harare
The BBC's Adam Mynott says the eyes of Zimbabwe's neighbours, Africa
and the whole world will be fixed now on seeing whether this deal does
result in a genuine sharing of executive authority.
Negotiations started at the end of July, with a breakthrough coming
late on Thursday after negotiations mediated by South African President
Thabo Mbeki.
Speaking after the accord was signed on Monday, Mr Mbeki warned that
the make-up unity government had yet to be finalised.
"Some discussions have already started about the constitution of this
inclusive government, [but] they have not yet concluded," he said. "I
am confident that they will do so as soon as possible."
While welcoming the deal as a "great day" for both Africa and the
world, African Union chairman Jakaya Kikwete also noted that doubts
remained over how long it would last.
"Will it hold or will it not? That is the question," he said.
Some MDC members have called the power-sharing deal a climb-down,
although others have said it is the best available.
'A new page'
The deal opens the way for international donors to help to revive
Zimbabwe's economy, where inflation is at more than 11,000,000%.
EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana said a decision on lifting
sanctions on Zimbabwean officials had been postponed until October.
Mr Solana said the EU needed to study the details of the agreement but
that he expected it to open "a new page" for Zimbabwe.
The UK was ready "in principle" to sup****t the new unity government but
its backing depended on actions on the ground, said Prime Minister
Gordon Brown's spokesman.
Mr Mugabe, in power since independence from Britain in 1980, won a
controversial presidential run-off election in June.
He ran unopposed after Mr Tsvangirai withdrew, claiming the MDC was the
target of state-sponsored violence.
In the first round of the presidential election in March, Mr Tsvangirai
gained more votes than Mr Mugabe but official results say he did not
pass the 50% threshold for outright victory.
|
