HARARE, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Zimbabwe President Robert
Mugabe on Wednesday swore in the main opposition MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai
as prime minister along with his two deputies in a unity government, ending
months of power sharing negotiations with the opposition.
The swearing-in ceremony started at about 11:30 a.m. local time. Tsvangirai was the first to take the oath, followed by MDC leader Professor Arthur Mutambara and MDC-T deputy president Thokozani Khupe.
Morgan Tsvangirai, leader of the Zimbabwe opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), swears in as prime minister in a unity government by President Robert Mugabe (R) in Harare, Zimbabwe, Feb. 11, 2009.(Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>
The three leaders were sworn in accordance with
provisions of the Constitutional Amendment Number 19 Act, which gives legal
effect to the formation of a unity government comprising the ruling Zanu-PF and
opposition MDC-T and MDC-M.
Tsvangirai and his two deputies won warm applauses
when they took their oaths. Mugabe administered the oath of office and
congratulated the prime minister and the deputies.
Shortly after the swearing in, regional leaders
including Mozambican President Armando Guebuza, King Mswati III of Swaziland and
former South African leader Thabo Mbeki rose to the high table to congratulate
the three leaders.
"It is a pleasant day for us all," one senior ruling
ZANU-PF official told Xinhua immediately after the swearing-in. He said "now we
Zimbabweans are speaking in one voice."
Morgan Tsvangirai (L), leader of the
Zimbabwe opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), is greeted by
former South African president Thabo Mbeki, who had brokered the
inter-party talks with the mandate of SADC in Harare, Zimbabwe, Feb. 11,
2009.(Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>
Although the ceremony was half an hour later than
they planned earlier, the establishment of the inclusive government is never too
late, said one of the participants to the ceremony, who declined to be named.
"I believe that it is the beginning of a new era for
Zimbabwe, and there is hope for the Zimbabweans to unite as one to overcome the
difficulties, economical and political," a journalist from the neighboring
country Mozambique told Xinhua.
Zimbabwe's ambassador to South Africa Simon Khaya
Moyo said the swearing in of the three leaders is a milestone development not
only for Zimbabwe but SADC as well.
"This is a historic occasion for Zimbabwe," Moyo said. "We owe deep gratitude to South Africa."
Zimbabwean opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai addresses the media at Harare international airport, January 28, 2009, upon arriving from a Southern African Development Community (SADC) meeting in South Africa.(Xinhua/Reuters File Photo) Photo Gallery>>>
Through Thabo Mbeki, South Africa facilitated the
long and intermittent negotiation process between the three political parties in
Zimbabwe, leading to the signing of a historical political agreement in
September last year.
Meanwhile, Tsvangirai is expected to proceed to
Glamis Arena in the capital to address thousands of party supporters gathered to
celebrate the momentous occasion.
The Zimbabwe main party leaders were now expected to
put a 31-member cabinet, with ministers expected to be sworn in by Friday this
week, according to a timeline that was set for them by SADC.
More than 600 people including officials from both
the ruling ZANU-PF and the opposition MDC fractions, international organization
representatives, foreign diplomats in Harare and journalists from various
countries attended the swearing-in ceremony which was held at the State House in
Harare.
Regional leaders who witnessed the occasion were the
AU chairperson Jean Ping and former South African president Thabo Mbeki, who had
brokered the inter-party talks with the mandate of SADC.
King Mswati III of Swaziland and Mozambican President
Armando Guebuza were also among regional leaders who attended the swearing-in
ceremony.
Zimbabweans from all walks of life, who have been
reeling under economic hardships, have high expectations from the inclusive
government.
Many have hailed SADC leaders and the African
continent for supporting efforts to settle the Zimbabwean issue.
For the first time since independence, the ruling
ZAN-PF lost the majority in the House of Assembly to the opposition in the March
2008 elections. The opposition MDC-T garnered 100 seats against 99 for Zanu PF.
The opposition MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai also
won more votes than President Robert Mugabe in the presidential election in
March 2008 although he did not secure the required 50 percent to form a
government.
Tsvangirai later withdrew from the run-off election
citing violence that was orchestrated against his party supporters.
In order to break the impasse, the SADC appointed
then South African President Thabo Mbeki to broker peace talks between the three
major political parties, resulting in signing of a Memorandum of Understanding
in July last year and a political agreement in September that will see formation
of the inclusive government on February 13.
In terms of the agreement, the three parties share
power forthe next five years, after which elections would be held and an
outright winner is expected to emerge.
The swearing-in marks the second step towards the
creation of an inclusive government in Zimbabwe under the Sept. 15 agreement
signed by the country's three main political players, the ruling Zanu-PF and the
two opposition MDC formations.
The first step was the creation of the Joint
Monitoring and Implementation Committee two weeks ago.
The formation of the committee and Tsvangirai's
swearing are expected to lead to the final stage of the swearing in of inclusive
government cabinet ministers on Friday, bringing to an end the long process that
has seen the Southern African Development Community (SADC) leaders shuttling
between Harare and South Africa in the last six months in a bid to find an
amicable solution to the Zimbabwean issue.
HARARE, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- The Zimbabwean parliament has
forwarded Constitution of Amendment Bill to the Office of the President and
Cabinet for assent by Robert Mugabe ahead of the swearing-in of the Prime
Minister-designate and his two deputies on Wednesday.
Prime Minister-designate Morgan Tsvangirai and his
deputies, MDC leader Arthur Mutambara and MDC-T deputy head Thokozani Khupe, are
set to be sworn in on Wednesday as the country's three main political parties
move towards the full implementation of the broad-based agreement signed on Sep.
15 last year. Full story
HARARE, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- Zimbabwe's senate on Thursday
passed Constitutional Amendment Number 19, paving the way for the establishment
of an inclusive government.
The bill now awaits the signature of President Robert
Mugabe to enact it into law after 72 senators who are in the House voted for its
passage with no votes cast against it. Full story
