Robert Mugabe on Wednesday told his parties Central Committee meeting that the sharing power with rivals was a “humiliation” that would have to be accepted because it lost March elections.
Mugabe was last nigh shown on state television addressing a meeting of top party leaders called to prepare for dividing the Cabinet among his Zanu-PF and two opposition factions as stipulated in a deal signed on Monday.
“If only we had not blundered in the March … elections we wouldn’t be facing this humiliation,” Mugabe said. “This is what we have to deal with.”
While Mugabe’s assessment was hardly gracious, it was an indication he would not abandon the deal, and should help calm fears his agreement to cede some power for the first time in 28 years will founder.
Mugabe aide Patrick Chinamasa told state TV the three parties involved would meet this morning (Thursday) and could have a Cabinet by the end of the day.
The meeting on allotting Cabinet posts had been expected on Tuesday, but was delayed while Mugabe’s party met on its own.
It is still not yet clear when the new government would be sworn in but Morgan Tsvangirai say he and the Cabinet might begin work without a formal swearing in, pending the constitutional amendments.
Nelson Chamisa, spokesperson for Tsvangirai’s MDC faction, said delays were worrying.
“Clearly there is anxiety in the country. People would want to see movement in terms of the realisation of the actual deal. “
