Tsvangirai calls off government boycott

MAPUTO — Zimbabwe’s Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai on Thursday said he had called off a boycott of power-sharing ties with President Robert Mugabe that had paralysed the fragile unity government for three weeks.

“We have suspended our disengagement in the government,” Tsvangirai told reporters after talks at an emergency regional summit to break the impasse in the Mozambican capital.

Tsvangirai said the summit — attended by several southern African leaders — had decided that the three main political parties would meet within the next 15 days to decide how to settle issues stalling the unity pact.

“Within 30 days all issues must be cleared,” he said.

Tsvangirai cut ties with what he termed Mugabe’s “dishonest and unreliable” camp on October 16, saying he would only restore relations once unsettled matters were ironed out, including a crackdown on his supporters and disputes over key posts.

The move prompted the unity government’s biggest threat since the long-time rivals joined power in February in the wake of deadly violence that erupted after disputed elections last year.

Mugabe made no comment to reporters after the talks but deputy premier Arthur Mutambara said he was “very satisfied,”.

The pact helped arrest Zimbabwe’s economic free-fall and created an opening to repair its international ties, amid Western calls for greater signs of reform from Mugabe, the country’s ruler since 1980.

But the agreement has been plagued by disputes over the appointment of provincial governors and Mugabe’s unilateral re-appointment of central bank chief Gideon Gono and attorney general Johannes Tomana.

Tsvangirai’s Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) also claims its lawmakers have been targeted for government persecution.

Tsvangirai’s decision to suspend ties was sparked by the renewed detention of MDC treasurer Roy Bennett on terrorism charges, with Zimbabwe’s premier embarking on a regional tour to appeal for intervention in the deadlock.

Thursday’s summit was organised by regional Southern African Development Community (SADC) bloc’s security and defence troika, which currently comprises Mozambique, Swaziland and Zambia and is chaired by Mozambican leader Armando Guebuza.

Current SADC chair the Democratic Republic of Congo and regional powerbroker South Africa also attended the talks. AFP