PM Tsvangirai Furious at Mugabe’s Solitary Appointments

Harare, Zimbabwe

Zimbabwean Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has accused President Robert Mugabe of violating the country’s constitution and making a unilateral decision following his recent reappointment of his ZANU-PF governors.

Tsvangirai who was speaking during a media conference on Thursday said he was ‘utterly surprised and disgusted’ when Mugabe told him on Monday of his reappoint of ten former ZANU-PF governors for another term.

He said his Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party would not recognize any key appointments made by Mugabe in the past 18 months owing to their unilateral nature, urging the international community to follow suit.

Tsvangirai and Mugabe formed a power-sharing government under the Global Political Agreement (GPA) treaty after disputed general elections in March 2009. The two leaders agreed to draw a new constitution, hold a referendum and a fresh re-run of elections under the deal.

A visibly angry Tsvangirai said that he has defended Mugabe at his own political cost but neither him or his MDC party would stand back any longer and allow Mugabe and his ZANU-PF party to flaunt the constitution and act as if they own the country.

Among the disputed appointments are the central bank governor, the attorney general,five  judges, six ambassadors and the police commission.

The Prime Minister termed Mugabe’s intention of not willing to swear in MDC’s Roy Bennett as a personal vendetta and part of racist agenda which are high-profile breaches of the constitution.

Roy Bennett was barred from being sworn in following his charges on terrorism and treason earlier this year which were later dropped for lack of sufficient evidence.

Mugabe has held on to power since 1980 and his reluctance to step down has attracted international sanctions and travel bans targeting him and his cronies owing to high levels of corruption in the country that has left the once prosperous economy battered.