HARARE (Xinhua) — Confusion surrounds the participation of Zimbabwe’s opposition MDC-T in the proposed inclusive government as apparent contradictions have emerged between the party’s national council and some senior officials in the political formation, The Sunday Mail said.
Top council members are understood to be in favour of participation in the new government, but some of their counterparts are stifling progress by seeking to open issues that were concluded during the inter-party talks.
Among the impediments are the allocation of Cabinet posts and the apportionment of other key government positions.
The council, which is the MDC-T’s supreme decision-making organ, met in Harare on Friday and resolved that the party joins the ruling Zanu-PF and MDC-Mutambara under the proposed arrangement.
The opposition MDC-T has reportedly said it will come on stream once the Constitutional Amendment Bill (Number 19), which will give legal effect to key provisions contained in last September’s political agreement, becomes law.
However, the party leader Morgan Tsvangirai did not attend the meeting, casting further confusion around the MDC’s position on the government. It is understood doubts over which side of the line the formation stands heightened within the party as it is still unclear whether or not Mr Tsvangirai supports the council’s decision, The Sunday Mail said.
In apparent contraction to the council’s resolution, MDC-T spokesman Nelson Chamisa said on Saturday that the MDC-T would not be part of the enunciated government.
Chamisa, who would not be drawn to shed more light on the reasons for Tsvangirai’s absence at Friday’s meeting, said outstanding issues such as the allocation of ministries should be resolved first. “The MDC is not participating until the issues have been resolved,” he said.
Chamisa claimed that the council’s resolution had been read out of context. He said his party would not move forward until its demands were acceded to.
Among these are the appointment of provincial governors, senior Government officials such as permanent secretaries and ambassadors. The composition of the National Security Council is another area that needs to be addressed, said Chamisa.
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