Zuma busy at Zimbabwean talks
Malaysia Sun
Thursday 18th March, 2010
Zimbabwe's dual leadership has agreed with South African president, Jacob Zuma, that measures will have to be taken in order to save the fragile government.
Jacob Zuma has been in Zimbabwe to mediate between Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, in discussions aimed at resolving differences between the brittle foes.
There have been two days of meetings between the three men in the Zimbabwean capital Harare.
With President Mugabe's ZANU-PF and Prime Minister Tsvangirai's MDC parties still hurling accusations at one another, Mr Zuma has had his hands full trying to appease the two men and their loyalists.
Outside the formal talks President Zuma met Mugabe loyalists, Central Bank Governor Gideon Gono and Attorney General Johannes Tomana.
Mr Tsvangirai had complained about their appointments to the South African president, saying they were overtly political.
Mr Zuma also met with MDC treasurer Roy Bennett, who is deputy agriculture minister.
Bennett is being tried in court by Tomana on treason charges.
President Robert Mugabe has refused to swear Bennett into his position until he is cleared of the treason charges.
Morgan Tsvangarai wants all charges against Bennett to be dropped saying that the attorney-general had engaged in a malicious prosecution.
The MDC has accused Mr Mugabe of appointing ZANU-PF loyalists to senior posts without consultation and also with persecuting MDC supporters.
Mr Mugabe has accused Mr Tsvangirai of doing too little to persuade Western countries to lift sanctions against Zimbabwe.
Mr Mugabe has been in power since Zimbabwe gained independence in 1980.
After disputed presidential and parliamentary elections in 2008, he was forced to agree to form a unity government with opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai.
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