AFRICA/ZIMBABWE - Tsvangirai is installed as Prime Minister in a government of national unity and launches an appeal to all citizens to work together to overcome the crisis

Harare (Agenzia Fides) – After months of political stalling, the government of national unity in Zimbabwe has finally been established, according to the agreement of September 15, 2008. Yesterday, February 11, Morgan Tsvangirai, leader of the main opposition party (MDC – Movement for Democratic Change) swore in as Prime Minister in the presence of President Robert Mugabe.
Another two opposition party members, Thokozani Khupe and Arthur Mutambara – leader of a faction party of the MDC – swore in as Vice Prime Minister.
The formation of the government of national unity has taken place after a long negotiation process carried out by the Southern African Development Community (SADC), mediated by former South African President Thabo Mbeki. The accords of September 15 were not acted upon because Tsvangirai and Mugabe did not agree on the appointments of key ministers. This obstacle was overcome thanks to South African mediation efforts.
The historical ceremony was attended by various leaders from the SADC, including the King of Swaziland, Mswati III, the President of Mozambique, Armando Guebuza, Thabo Mbeki, and the South African Foreign Minister Nkosazana Dhlamini-Zuma, along with the Executive Secretary (Tomaz Salomao) and President of the African Union Commission (Jean Ping).
Tsvangirai immediately promised to pay government workers from the end of this month, to protect them from the effects of hyperinflation and launched an appeal to all Zimbabwean citizens to work together to rebuild the country.
Tsvangirai has also invited the teachers to return to the schools. Teachers have been on strike in protest for the low salary. The new Prime Minister has announced that he will give priority to government workers, to guarantee them basic state services. “Today our public service has ground to a halt as many of our patriotic government employees can no longer afford to eat, let alone pay for transport to their place of work,” Tsvangirai said. “These hard currency salaries will enable people to go to work, to feed their families and to survive until such time that we can begin to sustain ourselves as a country.”
As for the activists arrested with the accusations of promoting the formation of armed bands to capture President Robert Mugabe, Tsvangirai says that he does not intend to interfere with the judicial process, but he does intend to “to ensure that the law is upheld and that the justice system deals with their cases in a fair, equitable and transparent manner in the shortest possible time frame.”
Tsvangirai concluded by inviting all Zimbabwean citizens to join in the effort, regardless of their political affiliation, affirming that in his position as Prime Minister and party leader, he intends to observe “a clear distinction between party and State.”
In his inaugural address, the new Prime Minister revealed that his priorities are: implement a democratization agenda, tackle the humanitarian crisis (cholera, hunger, AIDS), and stabilize the economy. (LM) (Agenzia Fides 12/2/2009)