Mugabe Appoints Ministers, Governors In Midst Of Unity Talks
Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe named eight ministers and provincial governors in the midst of talks on power sharing with the opposition, which alleged that two of its lawmakers were arrested before being sworn in. Mugabe appointed governors to eight of the southern African nation’s 10 provinces, former Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa said by phone today from Harare, the capital. The process of swearing in lawmakers to the Senate and the lower National Assembly began this morning, AFP reported, without citing anyone. “Also reappointed as vice president was Joseph Msika, while I and John Nkomo have been appointed as non-constituency senators,” Chinamasa said. Nkomo was previously speaker of the National Assembly. Mugabe’s ruling ZANU PF and the opposition Movement for Democratic Change began talks on forming a unity government on July 21. The nation has been in political deadlock since Mugabe extended his 28-year rule of the country in a one-man runoff presidential election in June. MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai boycotted the vote to protest violence against his supporters.
Police in Zimbabwe arrested two MDC lawmakers and attempted to detain a third as they tried to enter parliament today, the MDC said in an e-mailed statement in Johannesburg. MDC spokesman Nelson Chamisa said police planned to arrest at least 15 of its Members of Parliament. Those held include Shuah Mudiwa, MP for Mutare West, and Elia Jembere of Epworth, the MDC said. In legislative elections in March, the MDC won 100 seats in the National Assembly, while ZANU PF obtained 99. A faction of the MDC, led by Arthur Mutambara, garnered 10 seats and said in April it would unite in Parliament against Mugabe’s party. “In an effort to block the MDC’s bid to have party chairman Lovemore Moyo made Speaker of Parliament, they will arrest at least 15 of our MPs,” Chamisa said. “We’ve been informed by reliable sources that Mudiwa’s arrest is just the start.” Police spokesman Wayne Bvudzijena denied the allegations. “I haven’t yet been informed of Mr. Mudiwa’s arrest, but the police don’t arrest people without reason and there are no plans for mass arrests of anyone,” he said by phone from Harare.
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