FORMER PF Zapu senior members have told President Robert Mugabe not to cede the three governors’ posts in Matabeleland to either of the two formations of the MDC under the power-sharing deal signed last month.
Sources said the ex-PF Zapu leaders also want their former members in the diplomatic service in various countries worldwide to be retained.The move by ex-Zapu leaders came in the wake of pressure from the Morgan Tsvangirai-led MDC for Mugabe to distribute the country’s 10 provincial governors’ posts among the parties to the unity-government deal. Tsvangirai also wants the restructuring of the diplomatic service, as he intends his party and the smaller faction of the MDC led by Arthur Mutambara to appoint ambassadors from within their ranks.The sources said former senior members of PF Zapu have been holding meetings with a view to pulling out of the 1987 Unity Accord with Zanu PF if Mugabe ignores their concerns.“The consensus among ex-PF Zapu members is that whatever Mugabe agrees with the two MDC formations should not affect the Unity Accord of 1987,” one of the sources said. “Everyone is agreed that there was no consultation between Mugabe and us on the deal and as far as we are concerned the 1987 Unity Accord is still unchanged.”Sources close to the negotiations between Mugabe, Tsvangirai and Mutambara on the formation of a unity government said the Zanu PF leader was adamant that he would not cede the home affairs ministry because it was a preserve of ex-PF Zapu members.“If Mugabe gives in to the MDC and allocates them the home affairs ministry he would have compromised the Unity Accord,” another source said.Information minister Sikhanyiso Ndlovu this week said he was not aware of the manoeuvres by his colleagues to leave Zanu PF, but confirmed that the 1987 Unity Accord was discussed with Mugabe.“The issue of the Unity Accord is not for debate in the talks and it will remain as it is,” Ndlovu said. “That is why Vice-President Joseph Msika was retained as vice-president in the current deal. We have pushed for it (Unity Accord) to be respected and everybody is happy.”Ndlovu, however, could not be drawn to discuss cabinet posts reserved for the former PF Zapu leaders.“The Unity Accord is not for debate. President Mugabe assured us that the current negotiations with the opposition will not compromise the unity accord and the MDC did not contest that,” he added.
By Loughty Dube
