PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe’s delay in announcing a new Cabinet, a week after he took the oath of office, has reportedly sparked intense speculation over the likely composition of the new administration with MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai said to have been offered the Vice-Presidency.
REPORT BY JOHN NYASHANU/VENERANDA LANGA/WONAI MASVINGISE
Mugabe, who won the just-ended presidential election by 61% while his Zanu PF party garnered a two-thirds majority in Parliament, has not yet named a new Cabinet – thus keeping the whole country in suspense.
The veteran Zanu PF leader, who turns 90 next February, is reportedly playing his cards close to his chest as he seeks local and international legitimacy following his disputed electoral victory.
United States ambassador to Zimbabwe Bruce Wharton said his government would wait until the appointment of the new Cabinet before reviewing its position with regard to its economic relations with Zimbabwe.
Speaking on the sidelines of the launch of a documentary on HIV and Aids in Harare yesterday, the US envoy said the composition of the new Cabinet would inform the US decision on issues of sanctions and other trade and economic relations.
“Zimbabwe sent clear signals to the world on its economic policies and the sort of environment it wishes to offer to business investors,” Wharton said.
“What is next is that, I think, the composition of the next Cabinet will be an indicator of where we can work together. I will not give up on this relationship, but we wait to see the sort of developments and policies (of the new Cabinet) that will allow us to review our policies.”
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Wharton reiterated his government’s position regarding the just-ended elections.
The US has stood by the position that the elections, while free and peaceful, were neither fair nor credible. The world power said unless proven otherwise, sanctions and other punitive measures would be maintained or even tightened on Harare.
“I want to focus the relationship on looking for places that we can work together. We will remain very much interested in the GPA (Global Political Agreement) reforms that were suggested. We will remain very interested in the new Constitution. I think that is a big step forward.”
Sources said Mugabe might announce the Cabinet a day after the swearing-in of MPs next Tuesday.
Asked on the issue, presidential spokesperson George Charamba said: “I don’t know. We will come back to you when ready. Don’t force us.”
On Monday, MDC-T youth leader and member of the party’s standing and national executive committees Solomon Madzore made sensational claims that Tsvangirai was being offered the Vice-Presidency in Mugabe’s new government in addition to five Cabinet posts.
“Our president (Morgan) Tsvangirai has been approached by Zanu PF offering him the post of First Vice-President and some of our think-tanks have been approached with a view to offering them ministerial posts,” Madzore said.
“We have said that is nonsensical and they (Zanu PF) should rule alone since they said they won the elections. We are not going to be part of them and it is unfortunate that they do not have a clue on how to run the economy,” he said.
But Zanu PF secretary for administration Didymus Mutasa on Monday professed ignorance over the alleged talks.
“You can ask the two (Mugabe and Tsvangirai), but as far as I am concerned, as a party we are not aware of any such developments. We have only read about it in papers,” Mutasa said.
Asked if Mugabe was considering Tsvangirai for the VP position on Tuesday, Charamba said: “I don’t want to talk about that matter please,” before hanging up.
Zanu PF sources, however, said it was unlikely that Mugabe would offer the Vice-Presidency to Tsvangirai given that the post is a preserve for former PF-Zapu cadres in accordance with the 1987 Unity Accord signed between Zanu PF and PF-Zapu.
However, several other senior MDC-T members who spoke on condition of anonymity echoed Madzore’s sentiments, saying Mugabe was courting Tsvangirai.
But Tsvangirai’s spokesperson Luke Tamborinyoka said he was unaware of any behind-the-scenes coalition government negotiations.
“Remember the president (Tsvangirai) spoke about overtures, but as for negotiations, we are not talking to anyone,” Tamborinyoka said.
The MDC-T sources said Mugabe spoke to Tsvangirai last Wednesday and made the alleged offer, which the latter, however, spurned.
Meanwhile, Zanu PF women’s league chairperson Oppah Muchinguri told NewsDay yesterday that women in the party were optimistic that Mugabe would strike a gender balance in his new Cabinet in line with the new Constitution. Section 104 (4) of the new charter reads: “In appointing ministers and deputy ministers, the President must be guided by considerations of regional and gender balance.”
Said Muchinguri:“We are looking forward to having women chosen for key Cabinet posts and I do not see any reason why they should not.”
