afrol News, 28 November - Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe and main opposition party Movement for Democratic Change have agreed on a draft constitutional amendment, a move to would pave a way for long awaited unity government, opposition official announced today.

President Mugabe and Mr Tsvangirai signed a power sharing deal in September, however, the process to form a unity government has been stalled over the allocation of key ministerial positions, including the highly disputed home affairs ministry.

MDC official said an agreement was reached pending consultation and endorsements by all leaders. "We signed the draft bill but that does not mean we gave commitment to join the unity government before all these other equally important issues are resolved," the opposition statement said.

The constitutional amendment would need to be passed by parliament to allow formation of a power-sharing government and creation of the post of prime minister for Mr Tsvangirai while Mr Mugabe would remain president.

Negotiators from ZANU-PF, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) and a breakaway MDC faction have been meeting with the mediator, the former South African President Thabo Mbeki in South Africa to discuss the amendment, under growing regional pressure to finalise their deal.

Mr Tsvangirai on Wednesday called for Mr Mbeki's recusal as mediator, accusing him of incompetence and of bias in favouring of President Mugabe.

The opposition leader said in a statement that his party would no longer participate in the negotiations officially until Mr Mbeki was removed by SADC as mediator, adding his MDC's negotiator was remaining in talks on an "without prejudice basis".

Meanwhile, Mr Mugabe has accused Mr Tsvangirai of stalling and dragging the power-sharing deal, adding his rejection to accept Southern African regional block recommendation two weeks ago, have also contributed to the delay of power sharing deal.

A letter also published on the South African newspaper, the Star said Mr Tsvangirai's demand for Mr Mbeki to quit his mediation role in resolving Zimbabwe's political crisis was an indicator of lack of commitment to a deal.

MDC led by Mr Tsvangirai won the first-round presidential vote in March, when his party gained a majority in Parliament, forcing Mr Mugabe's Zanu-PF into the minority for the first time since independence in 1980.

But Mr Tsvangirai pulled out of a June run-off, accusing Mugabe's regime of orchestrating attacks that left more than 100 of his supporters dead.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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