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Zimbabwe

Mugabe fires ministers in preparation for unity government

Article published on the 2009-01-03 Latest update 2009-01-03 16:36 TU

Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe and his wife Grace(Credit: Reuters)

Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe and his wife Grace
(Credit: Reuters)

Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe has fired 12 ministers as the first effort in establishing a unity government, according to official state media Saturday. An official from Mugabe's ZANU-PF party confirmed that he is preparing for the unity government, but would give no details as to when it would be formed or who would be involved.

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Mugabe's move to sack certain ministers, including deputy ministers for health, agriculture and mines does not mean much, not even that they have been sacked, according to correspondent Ryan Truscott in Zimbabwe.

"In the March 2008 elections none of them won seats in either Zimbabwe's upper or lower houses of parliament and under Zimbabwe's constitution, they can no longer be ministers," said Truscott.

Report: Correspondent Ryan Truscott in Zimbabwe

 
 

03/01/2009

Last month, the United States announced that there could be no unity government with Mugabe at the helm.

"It's looking very unlikely that opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai wants to be a part of it," said correspondent Ryan Truscott in Zimbabwe.

Tsvangirai won the presidential vote in March 2008, but pulled out of a June run-off. More than 100 of his supporters died during this time.

On Wednesday a court ruled that leading human rights campaigner Jestina Mukoko and 15 other activists should remain in custody pending a remand hearing in a case that has deepened doubts over a power-sharing deal. They have been charged with recruiting or trying to recruit people to undergo military training to topple President Robert Mugabe's government.

Last September, Tsvangirai, Mugabe and minority party leader Arthur Mutambara signed an agreement in South Africa to create an all-inclusive government to stem the economic and political meltdown happening in the country.

Since then, there has been no agreement in how to divvy-up key cabinet portfolios, including home affairs, security and local government.