PM designate Tsvangirai names cabinet ministers

ZIMBABWE’S OPPOSITION leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, who is due to become the country’s new prime minister today, has named 15 senior party members to the cabinet posts he secured under the recent compromise powersharing agreement.

During a press conference yesterday in Harare the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) chief named Tendai Biti, his lead negotiator in the powersharing deal with President Robert Mugabe’s Zanu-PF party, to the crucial position of finance minister.

Mr Biti was released from prison last week after state prosecutors withdrew treason charges filed against him before Christmas. As finance minister he will be responsible for bringing the country’s ruined economy back to life.

“They are men and women chosen for their vision of healing our nation and bringing not only the spirit of hope to the people of Zimbabwe but also their significant technical skills in the challenging task of restoring our political freedoms,” said Mr Tsvangirai. “This team will be tasked with beginning the process of rebuilding our country during the transition period,” he added.

The MDC leader also named lawmaker Giles Mutseyekwa to the powerful home affairs ministry, which oversees the police.

The powersharing deal almost collapsed recently over who would control home affairs, but after months of wrangling the rival parties agreed to share the post for the first six months of the administration’s lifespan.

Mr Mutseyekwa was once a senior air force official, but he was arrested in a discredited plot to assassinate Mr Mugabe more than three years ago. Mr Mugabe has yet to appoint a co-minister to home affairs from his party.

Explaining the rationale behind his appointment Mr Tsvangirai said home affairs needed “a strong individual to ensure that this ministry enhances the freedoms of Zimbabweans and proper administration of the citizens’ charter”.

Some analysts believe the MDC’s decision to jointly rule with Zanu-PF may already be backfiring, as the ruling regime has refused to release dozens of opposition members and rights activists from jail, something they agreed to do under the compromise pushed through last month.

“We are aware of the shortcomings” of the powersharing deal, Mr Tsvangirai said, “but we are also aware of the potential” to help Zimbabweans.

The new unity government cabinet ministers will be sworn in to their new posts on Friday.