afrol News, 13 October - Zimbabwe's main opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangirai has threatened to quit power sharing deal, accusing president Robert Mugabe of trying to snatch key positions in power.

MDC leader slammed an official government list published on Saturday, that gave all main ministries, including defense, home and foreign affairs, justice, mining and land to Mr Mugabe's party.

Mr Tsvangirai said MDC is prepared to continue talks about how cabinet portfolios will be allocated, but said he would not compromise on its insistence that key ministries should be shared between MDC and Mr Mugabe.

"An idiot wouldn't accept that. That is not power sharing, it is power grabbing. Robert Mugabe, stop that because if you don't, we have no right to be part of such an arrangement," Mr Tsvangirai told a rally of 15,000 supporters.

Mugabe's spokesman George Charamba defended proposed cabinet distribution, accusing opposition of having close alliances with "rich friends" in the West that threatened Zimbabwe's sovereignty, official Sunday Mail said.

"The fact that rival political parties in Europe and America are all comfortable in partnering with MDC here means the MDC is politically colourless except the colour that comes from outside," paper quoted Charamba saying.

Under power-sharing agreement, opposition gets 16 cabinet seats and Mugabe's party gets 15, reflecting official results of parliamentary elections held in March.

Meanwhile, UN says it needs $140m (£82m) for food aid in Zimbabwe over next six months.

The current stalemate stems from disputed elections in March this year when Mr Tsvangirai gained more votes than Mr Mugabe, but not enough for outright victory.

Mr Tsvangirai then pulled out of a run-off vote in June, accusing Zanu-PF militia and army of organising attacks on MDC supporters which left some 200 people dead.

Critics of Mr Mugabe say he triggered economic crisis when he began seizing white-owned farms for land redistribution ahead of parliamentary elections in 2000.

But Mr Mugabe blames Western sanctions, which target him and his chief supporters, for wrecking Zimbabwe's economy.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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