Zimbabwe - coalition government crisis

MDC halts co-operation with Zanu-PF

Article published on the 2009-10-16 Latest update 2009-10-16 12:42 TU

MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai (R) has said he will no longer cooperate with President Robert Mugabe (L)
(Photo: Montage RFI/ Reuters )

The future of Zimbabwe’s Unity Government is in doubt after Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai said on Friday that his Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) would no longer co-operate with President Robert Mugabe’s Zanu-PF party.

Tsvangirai said that the MDC would not quit the government because it was the "only one with the mandate to remain".

"For that reason this party for now will not renege on the people's mandate, however it is our right to disengage from a dishonest and unreliable partner," he told journalists.

"In this regard, whilst being in government we shall forthwith disengage from Zanu-PF and in particular from cabinet and the council of ministers until such time as confidence and respect is restored amongst us."

Tsvangirai linked the move to the jailing this week of top MDC official Roy Bennett on terrorism charges.

He said the detention of Bennett, his pick as Deputy Agriculture Minister, had shown "the fiction of the credibility and integrity" of the power-sharing arrangement with Mugabe.

"It has brought home the reality that as a movement we have an unreliable and unrepentant partner in the transitional government," he said.