Zimbabwe media: Mugabe set to form government

By ANGUS SHAW Associated Press Writer
Posted: 01/03/2009 04:25:07 AM PST

HARARE, Zimbabwe—Zimbabwe's main opposition leader has insisted that he will not become prime minister in a government of national unity until disagreements are settled. There were signs Saturday that President Robert Mugabe would press ahead regardless.

The official Herald newspaper said that Mugabe, who has held power since 1980, was moving toward the "early realization" of a new government to end a monthslong power vacuum.

"President Mugabe has already started preparing an administration," the paper quoted government spokesman George Charamba as saying.

A power-sharing accord reached last September designated Mugabe as president and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai as prime minister. Tsvangirai narrowly won the first round of presidential elections but refused to take part in a runoff because of violence against his supporters.

The accord has not been implemented because of disagreement on Cabinet posts. The opposition Movement for Democratic Change is angry that Mugabe has earmarked all the key ministries for his party. It is holding out for control of the Home Affairs ministry—saying this is necessary to stop police violence against opposition supporters—and has rejected a proposal by mediators to split control of the ministry.

In a letter to Mugabe, Tsvangirai said it was "presumptuous" to conclude that his party accepted the allocation of ministers decided on by Mugabe.