Mugabe Not Sharing Well In Zimbabwe
With Zimbabwe's political power-sharing deal in jeopardy, South Africa's former president Thabo Mbeki planned crisis talks Monday with both sides in Harare.
Zimbabwe's political rivals called for Mbeki's help to get negotiations back on track, after weeks of deadlock over how they should share Cabinet posts, according to Mbeki's spokesman.
President Robert Mugabe said Saturday he would keep all key ministries for his Zanu-PF party, prompting opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai on Sunday to threaten to ditch the agreement altogether.
The European Union condemned Mugabe's unilateral move, with Britain's Foreign Secretary David Miliband saying the Europeans would "play no part in supporting a power grab by the Mugabe regime."
While Zimbabwe's politicians bicker, half of the population - some 5.1 million people - faces starvation, two-thirds of children are out of school and water shortages have led to deadly cholera outbreaks in three parts of the country, according to aid agencies.
Mbeki was flying to Zimbabwe on Monday afternoon after all parties called for his intervention, his spokesman Mukoni Ratshitanga said. Mbeki has been chief negotiator in the dispute that erupted after elections that gave Tsvangirai's party the most votes.
On Sept. 15, Mbeki persuaded the rivals to share power, with the opposition holding 16 Cabinet seats and Mugabe's party 15. But the two sides have yet to work out details of the new government, including which side would control which ministries.
An official list of Cabinet portfolios published Saturday gives Mugabe's party the ministries of defense, home and foreign affairs, justice, mining and land, among others. It gives the opposition more minor ministries, such as constitutional affairs and water management.
"That is not power sharing, it is power grabbing," Tsvangirai told thousands of supporters at a rally Sunday. He said Zimbabweans were prepared to "suffer some more" to get a more equitable agreement. Thousands of people raised their hands in agreement.
The EU hopes Mbeki can persuade both men to abide by their agreement, Britain's foreign secretary said on the sidelines of EU talks in Luxembourg. Miliband added that the bloc would maintain sanctions against Mugabe and about 160 of his cronies and companies supporting him until the country satisfies international demands for economic and political reforms, including better human rights.
Meanwhile, Zimbabwe's central bank issued new $50,000 notes on Monday. Bank Governor Gideon Gono said on state radio the new bills would help people before the festive season, but they were more likely to fuel inflation that already stands at an official 231 million percent.
The new bill is worth about US$270 according to the official exchange rate of Zimbabwean $185 to US$1, but the black market rate of Z$4 million to US$1 is more commonly used.
The bank also raised the daily withdrawal limit for individuals from Z$20,000 to Z$50,000, The Herald newspaper said. It said the limit for companies remains Z$10,000 to encourage them to use checks and credit cards.
State radio said the new notes were seen on the street before banks opened, saying this suggests corruption. Some bank officials are believed to have sold the notes to cronies of Mugabe who are enriching themselves off the economic crisis.