Zimbabwe

Deadlock is over greed and power, says former FM

Article published on the 2008-10-13 Latest update 2008-10-14 08:13 TU

Simba Makoni, Zimbabwe's former finance minister
(File photo: Reuters)

The current political deadlock in Zimbabwe is a struggle over greed and power, according to former Zimbabwean Finance Minister Simba Makoni, who was also the third place candidate in the presidential election in March. A former member of ZANU-PF, President Robert Mugabe's party, Makoni believes that the atmosphere in the country is based on "rumour and innuendo."

"The people of Zimbabwe are horrified and disgusted by the greed of leaders who hold the country to ransom while they seek personal positions," said Makoni.

"And we share that feeling of the people of Zimbabwe," he said, without specifying whether he was speaking about Mugabe or MDC party leader and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai.

Former South African president Thabo Mbeki is currently in Harare to try and break a deadlock between the parties. Mbeki brokered the September 15 power-sharing deal that allocated power to Mugabe, Tsvangirai  and minority faction Arthur Mutambara.

Last Friday, Tsvangirai threatened to pull out of the government after Mugabe unilaterally gave top portfolios, including control of the army and foreign ministry to his ZANU-PF party members.

On Monday, Mugabe went ahead and appointed ZANU-PF members Joyce Mujuru and Joseph Msika as vice presidents, even though they were already vice presidents under the old Mugabe regime.

"It's not in keeping with the spirit of the agreement... which proposed that an inclusive government would be formed by consensus among the three parties," said Makoni.

"And quite clearly, the installation of the vice presidents was not a result of consensus among the three parties," he added.