Zimbabwe: Tsvangirai Blasts Mugabe

South Africa  |  10.08.10   By PoliticsAfrica Staff

Zimbabwe’s Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has voiced his “disgust” with President Robert Mugabe’s unilateral decision-making in their power-sharing government, calling it a “betrayal.”

Tsvangirai said that events over the past few months have left him “disappointed in Mugabe, and his betrayal of the confidence that I and many Zimbabweans have personally invested in him.”

The prime minister condemned Mugabe for acting autocratically in appointing officials to the government that the two longtime rivals formed in February 2009 in the wake of violent and disputed elections.

Tsvangirai said his party, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), has resolved not to recognize the appointment of the reserve bank governor, the attorney general, five judges appointed in May, six ambassadors named in July, and the police service commission.

“We will refuse to recognise any of the appointments which the president has made illegally and unconstitutionally over the last 18 months,” he said.

He also condemned Mugabe, who has ruled Zimbabwe since independence in 1980, for unilaterally reappointing disputed provincial governors over the weekend.

“To my utter surprise, and shall I say disgust, Mugabe advised me on Monday that he had … reappointed the former governors in the same manner he appointed the previous governors,” Tsvangirai said.

He also slammed Mugabe’s refusal to swear in Roy Bennett, the prime minister’s pick for the post of deputy agriculture minister.

Bennett, a white farmer who was tried earlier this year on charges of plotting to overthrow Mugabe, was found not guilty.

“The matter of Roy Bennett has now become a personal vendetta and part of a racist agenda,” Tsvangirai said.

“Roy Bennett was acquitted on May 10, but again, Mugabe has gone back on his word. He confirmed to me … on Monday that he has no intention of ever swearing in Roy.”

Friction over key appointments has characterized the compromise government since it was formed, but the political climate has deteriorated further in recent weeks.

Members of Mugabe’s ZANU-PF party last month attacked public meetings on the drafting of a new constitution.

The MDC says a Tsvangirai supporter was killed in the violence.

“As we have seen so many times, ZANU-PF is determined to tell citizens what they should think, and to intimidate, bully and beat up any who disagree,” Tsvangirai said.

“This goes against the fundamental principles of democracy, and is utterly abhorrent to me.”

Under the power-sharing deal, public meetings on a new constitution were supposed to end last month, leading to a referendum that would pave the way to new elections.

But the process has been delayed by violence, a shortage of funds, and disagreements within the power-sharing government

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