[AS was published on the main ZimEye website]
Zim Cabinet talks in doubt - Staff Reporter 06-10-08 Harare (ZimEye) Zimbabwe's opposition Movement for Democratic Change has refuted reports that negotiations to conclude the impasse on the allocation of cabinet posts in the inclusive government were to resume on Monday.
MDC-T spokesperson Nelson Chamisa said no indication had been made on the resumption of the negotiations and that a deadlock on the talks still stands. "We have never had any indications on the meeting by negotiators of the three parties. There was no consultation whatsoever. We are currently in a deadlock." "We are still yet to agree on the said four posts and the entire cabinet. There is no agreement that was reached on what the Herald is saying the remaining four posts were narrowed to two on Saturday," Chamisa said. The state broadsheet, The Herald quoted one of ZANU PF’s negotiators saying talks would resume Monday. "We are most likely to meet tomorrow (Monday)," Nicholas Goche is reported to have said. The parties have been disagreeing on the allocation of four cabinet posts, but the Herald reports that a meeting held on Saturday by the two principals had narrowed them to two posts. Chamisa added that the current situation is now calling for the intervention of SADC and the African Union who are the guarantees to the power sharing agreement. It is not clear whether former South African President Thabo Mbeki will return to Harare to try and bring the deal to finality or another mediator will be appointed. Independent analysts say the return of Mbeki to Harare is an indictment on Mugabe who promised the world that a government was going to be formed by end of last week. The impasse between the political parties has continued to worsen the humanitarian situation in Zimbabwe. Over five million Zimbabweans are in dire need of food aid where in some areas people are surviving on wild fruits. The new cabinet will have 31 ministries, 15 led by ZANU PF while MDC Tsvangirai will have 13 and Mutambara 3. The SADC and AU backed talks saw the country’s three main parties last month signing an agreement to form an inclusive government. Zimbabweans are waiting for the conclusion of the negotiations and hoping it would bring normalcy to an economy that is ailing
