ZIMBABWE'S OPPOSITION has decided not to join a unity government with the ruling Zanu-PF party until all outstanding issues regarding the power-sharing deal are resolved, a senior official said yesterday.
Members of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) executive committee met in Harare yesterday to make a final decision on whether they would participate in the compromise deal put forward by regional leaders last weekend as a way to break the two-month-old impasse.
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) proposed that the rival parties should co-manage the powerful home affairs ministry - wanted by both groups because it controls the police - and form the unity government forthwith.
Mr Mugabe, who signed up to the compromise deal, vowed earlier this week to push ahead and form a new government even if the MDC decided not to accept the SADC proposal.
MDC deputy leader Thokozani Khupe said in a statement that the party would only join a unity government once a constitutional amendment to comply with all the terms of the deal signed by President Robert Mugabe and MDC leaders Morgan Tsvangirai and Arthur Mutambara was passed.
"Neither Robert Mugabe nor Zanu-PF has the legitimacy of forming any government or running this country in the absence of the consummation of the global power-sharing agreement, the enacting of the constitutional amendment . . . and the resolution of all other outstanding issues," said Ms Khupe.
Citing an assassination plot to eliminate the MDC top leadership and a threat of renewed violence, the party accused the ruling Zanu-PF of an "obstructionist approach, lack of paradigm shift and (an) entrenched power retention agenda".
"The (MDC) national council notes with concern . . . the crafting of an assassination plot intended to eliminate the leadership of the MDC," said Ms Khupe, who refused to expand further.
Later, MDC spokesperson Nelson Chamisa said that the party's executive would now plead its case to the African Union and prepare to campaign against any attempt by Zanu-PF to form a new government without it. He also insisted that his party's decision to snub the SADC ruling did not mean they had abandoned securing a negotiated settlement.
Analysts say that the MDC's decision to reject the SADC ruling could damage the party's standing with regional leaders, whose support they need to remove Mr Mugabe from power.
Former UN secretary-general Kofi Annan said yesterday that he and former US president Jimmy Carter would visit Zimbabwe next week to explore ways to ease the humanitarian crisis. They will represent the Elders, a group of 12 statesmen with experience of resolving conflicts.