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Tsvangirai and Mugabe yet to approve draft bill

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Mugabe Tsvangirai Mbeki deal shake01 December 2008

HARARE (AFP) — Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai have yet to approve a constitutional amendment critical to forming a unity government, state media said Sunday.

The opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) said Friday that "some shared understanding" had been reached over the amendment that will set out the powers of the prime minister.

Tsvangirai would become prime minister under a power-sharing deal signed on September 15, while 84-year-old Mugabe would remain as president.

Mugabe's chief negotiator Patrick Chinamasa said in the state-run Sunday Mail that none of the leaders had signed off on the proposed law.

But he confirmed that negotiators had finalised the text for approval by the leaders.

"Negotiating teams are expected to report to their principals and political parties for clearance of the initialled document," Chinamasa told the paper.

The amendment will create the new post of prime minister, bringing the country one step closer toward forming a unity government.

MDC spokesman Nelson Chamisa said Friday that several other issues still needed to be resolved, despite the agreement on the amendment.

Tsvangirai defeated Mugabe in a first-round presidential vote in March, when the MDC won a majority in parliament for the first time.

But he pulled out of a run-off, accusing Mugabe's party of coordinating deadly attacks against his supportrs.

Since signing the unity accord, the rivals have been locked in a bitter dispute on how to divide power among their parties.


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