Mugabe agrees historic power-sharing deal

[harmony]

ROBERT Mugabe, Zimbabwe's president, and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai agreed
to share power last night in a deal to end the nation's political crisis.

Thabo Mbeki, South Africa's president who has mediated the talks, said Mr Mugabe's Zanu-PF
and Mr Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) would sign the agreement and
announce a national unity government on Monday.

http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/world/Mugabe-agrees-historic--powersharing.4485725.jp

Does any one really believe Mugabe will actually play by the rules when all the paperwork is signed. I
for one doubt it, not his style. Im betting he will manufacture a reason to say the partnership fell apart,
blame the opposition and seize complete control again. Power hungry madman like him sharing power,
cant end well for the other guy.

[dreamon]

Zimbabwe opposition to get majority in Cabinet
State radio says Mugabe party gets 15 seats versus opposition's 16

HARARE, Zimbabwe - Zimbabwe's opposition will get more Cabinet posts than President Robert Mugabe's
party in the long-sought unity government, state radio reported Sunday.

It said the Cabinet under a power-sharing deal brokered by South African President Thabo Mbeki will have
31 members, 16 from the opposition and 15 from Mugabe's party.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26699365/

One controls the police and the other the military. The police are brutal so cant see them suddenly obeying
the law and not targeting people. The very people they beat up, and threw in jail regularly are now their
bosses. The future is a long road and a dangerous one.

[dreamon]

Zimbabwe’s Humanitarian Crisis Worsens, Aid Needed


Urgent aid needed as Zimbabwe’s humanitarian crisis worsens – UN relief chief

2 October 2008 – The humanitarian situation in Zimbabwe is deteriorating and will continue to worsen into next year,
according to the top United Nations humanitarian official, who has called for urgent aid to avert increased human
suffering in the Southern African nation.

Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs John Holmes said that an estimated 3.8 million people would be
classed as food insecure between now and the end of the year. During the peak of the hunger season, between
January and March 2009, nearly half of the population of 12 million is estimated to be going to require food assistance.

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0810/S00076.htm

[deja vu]

Mugabe 'gives Zanu-PF key posts'

Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe has allocated key ministries to his own party - in defiance of a
power-sharing deal, reports say.

The opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) said the move had put the deal "in jeopardy".

The MDC had signed the power-sharing agreement with Mr Mugabe's Zanu-PF party on 15 September.

But the parties have been deadlocked in allocating ministries and have called back South African mediators.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7664921.stm

Not surprising. Mugabe just bides his time and then strikes again. Did anyone really think he would
play by the rules?

[fishandchips]

Just where is the government's money going these days? When was the last audit of government spending conducted--the results would make some international UN countries more than a bit steamed, what with hungry people classed as "food insecure." What level of starving is that category?

[dreamon]

Just where is the government's money going these days? When was the last audit of government spending conducted

Mugabe is not about to tell. I would say he has been lining his own pockets. This power sharing deal was doomed
to fail from the start. Mugabe was just buying time and with the appointment of his own people in the top positions,
nothing has changed. He just waited for the right moment to make his move and keep his control over the country.

[CielOnTap]

Zimbabwe on high alert
Sunday Times Foreign Desk Published:Dec 07, 2008

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Zimbabwe’s panicking government is cracking down on its army and has placed the country on high alert following a riot by soldiers this week and increasing calls for President Robert Mugabe to be forcibly removed.

Unconfirmed reports yesterday claimed that 20 soldiers — fingered as the instigators of Monday’s rampage — had been summarily executed as Mugabe desperately tries to control the discontent.

His priority is the internal unrest. Military officers told the Sunday Times on Friday that an inquiry into the soldiers’ protests had been launched.

About 20 troops are believed to be facing court martial — however, speculation is that they have already been executed by firing squad. The Sunday Times could not independently confirm this.
http://www.thetimes.co.za/News/Article.aspx?id=900059

Quite a scary development in the country. This is the same army that scared the Harare residents with last week's looting of shops. Ironically, the police had to keep the soldiers in line.

[CielOnTap]

Mugabe is in the news two ways: defiant to leaving his position and apparently willing to make an opposition leader the prime minister.
'Zimbabwe is mine' says Mugabe
Module body
1 hour, 3 minutes ago
BINDURA, Zimbabwe (AFP) - President Robert Mugabe declared Friday that "Zimbabwe is mine" and vowed never to surrender to calls to step down, as his political rival threatened to quit stalled unity government talks.

Addressing his ZANU-PF party's annual conference amid a ruinous political crisis and a deadly cholera epidemic , Mugabe returned to the kind of defiance he has often shown in the face of mounting criticism.

"I will never, never, never, never surrender. Zimbabwe is mine, I am a Zimbabwean. Zimbabwe for Zimbabweans. Zimbabwe never for the British, Britain for the British," Mugabe told his party's annual conference. http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/afp/081219/world/zimbabwe_politics

Mugabe asks Tsvangirai to take up prime minister post
Reuters
Published: December 19, 2008
By Nelson Banya

Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe announced on Friday he had invited rival Morgan Tsvangirai to be sworn-in as prime minister in a shared government, but expressed doubt whether he would accept.

The United States, which has called on Mugabe to step down, said it suspected the offer was a ruse.

Opposition leader Tsvangirai threatened to ask for a suspension of power-sharing talks if the government did not stop what he called the persecution of political opponents.

The deadlock between Mugabe and Tsvangirai has held up any chance of ending the spiralling crisis in the southern African country, where a spreading cholera epidemic has killed more than 1,100 people and food and fuel are in short supply.http://www.iht.com/articles/reuters/2008/12/19/africa/OUKWD-UK-ZIMBABWE-CRISIS.php

While President Mugabe cries "mine," his people are not any better--inflation and cholera have a pervasive hold on the populace. From The Times in South Africa:

Zimbabwe cholera deaths top 1,000
AFP Published:Dec 18, 2008

The death toll from cholera in Zimbabwe has passed 1,000 and the epidemic is continuing to spread, the United Nations said today.

Latest figures from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) recorded 1,111 deaths and 20,581 suspected cases.

"The devastating cholera epidemic continues to spread, with a new outbreak in Chegutu Urban, recording more than 378 suspected cases and 121 deaths," said an OCHA statement. Chegutu is a region neighbouring the capital Harare.

Harare remained the worst-hit area, with 224 people killed by the disease and 9,072 thought to be suffering from it.http://www.thetimes.co.za/News/Article.aspx?id=907343

[CielOnTap]

Zimbabwe activists remain in jail
AFP Published:Dec 31, 2008

A Zimbabwe court has ordered 16 activists to remain in jail pending a Supreme Court hearing on accusations that they plotted to overthrow President Robert Mugabe’s government.

The magistrates’ court did not rule on the charges against them, but said leading human rights campaigner Jestina Mukoko and the other 15 activists should remain in custody pending a ruling by the nation’s highest court. http://www.thetimes.co.za/News/Article.aspx?id=911362

[CielOnTap]

Zimbabwean activist poisoned: report
AFP Published:Jan 04, 2009

Mukoko is psychologically traumatised, it is not certain that she has told the full story because, every time she speaks to a doctor or a lawyer, a state official is present

Zimbabwean rights campaigner Jestina Mukoko, who is to appear in court on Monday on charges of plotting to overthrow President Robert Mugabe, is being poisoned and tortured in custody, the Sunday Independent reports.

According to the paper, Mukoko, who is in solitary confinement at the notorious Chikurubi Maximum Security prison, is being force fed drugs by prison personnel.

It said her lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa has called for a toxicology report to support the allegations.

"Mukoko is psychologically traumatised, it is not certain that she has told the full story because, every time she speaks to a doctor or a lawyer, a state official is present," said Mtetwa. http://www.thetimes.co.za/News/Article.aspx?id=912131

Abusing the prisoner while in government custody has the president's hands involved. He must genuinely want to silence any opposition to keep "his" country. Which country will confront Mugabe?