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Tsvangirai Secures Party Backing To Join Zimbabwe Unity Government


The top decision-making body of the Movement for Democratic change formation headed by Morgan Tsvangirai, Zimbabwe's prime minister-designate, unanimously resolved Friday to join a unity government with President Robert Mugabe’s ZANU-PF as recommended by a summit of the Southern African Development Community earlier this week.

Correspondent Irwin Chifera of VOA's Studio 7 for Zimbabwe reported that hundreds of MDC supporters cheered as Tsvangirai announced he would join the government.

For perspective, reporter Blessing Zulu of VOA's Studio 7 for Zimbabwe turned to political analyst Charles Mangongera in Harare who said Tsvangirai’s decision to join was not surprising given the immense pressure on him from various sources.

Meanwhile, a SADC facilitating team led by Sydney Mufamadi, senior aide to power-sharing mediator Thabo Mbeki, the former South African president, launched an implementation monitoring committee called for under the Sept. 15 power-sharing accord.

The panel has three co-chairs: Nicholas Goche of ZANU-PF; Elton Mangoma of the Tsvangirai MDC formation; and Welshman Ncube of the MDC wing led by Arthur Mutambara.

Ncube, secretary general of the Mutambara MDC grouping, told VOA that the agreement by all parties to join the government was critical to relieve the country's suffering people.

More reports from VOA's Studio 7 for Zimbabwe...

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