HARARE: Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe swore in his long-time rival as prime minister Wednesday, conceding they must work together to rescue their country from economic and humanitarian disaster.
The image of Mugabe standing to administer Morgan Tsvangirai's oath himself was extraordinary given the history of state-sponsored violence against the opposition in Zimbabwe, and the determination Mugabe has shown in nearly three decades to hold onto to every shred of power.
Tsvangirai has been beaten and was once nearly thrown from a 10th floor window by suspected government thugs. He acknowledged in a speech following Wednesday ceremony that many don't think the partnership will work, but said it was the ``only viable arrangement.''
Later, at a celebration rally attended by some 15,000 supporters, Tsvangirai pledged to reopen schools that are closed because teachers can't afford bus fare and to fight a cholera epidemic blamed on the cash-strapped government's neglect of hospitals and sanitation.
He drew the biggest cheers when he said all government workers — from teachers to soldiers — would be paid in hard currency starting next month to shield them from the world's highest inflation rate. He did not say how the government would afford that.
People in the crowd threw Zimbabwe dollars like confetti, expressing their contempt for the nearly worthless currency.
The country's economic collapse — for which Tsvangirai holds Mugabe responsible — has left millions of Zimbabwean dependent on international food aid.
Ian Stephens, a Harare businessman, said it was too early to celebrate the new government, which comes nearly a year after the country's disputed presidential election.
``It depends on how cooperative Mugabe is and whether he can be trusted,'' Stephens said. But ``Mugabe no longer has absolute power and that could be the turning point.''
Sampson Ibrahim, a street vendor, was in a crowd watching the broadcast on a TV in the window of an electronics store in downtown Harare.
``I am happy because I expect prices to go down,'' Ibrahim said. ``They've got to get the schools and the hospitals working again.''
Mugabe declared Wednesday he had offered ``my hand of friendship and solidarity to work with (Tsvangirai's party) for the service of Zimbabwe.''
``The road to this arrangement has not been easy,'' Mugabe said afterward. ``It has been a long and tedious road. But we hope and trust that we have put ourselves to a commitment of making this country work again.''
Neighboring leaders who pushed for the coalition said that once the two men had joined in the unity government, Mugabe and Tsvangirai would overcome mutual mistrust and work together for the good of their country.
Mugabe, who turns 85 on February 21 and has been in power since independence from Britain in 1980, has in the recent past treated the 56-year-old Tsvangirai as a junior partner at best.
Tsvangirai won the most votes in the first round of presidential election held almost a year ago, and withdrew from a June runoff only because of attacks on his supporters.
Tsvangirai's decade-old party, the Movement for Democratic Change, also broke ZANU-PF's lock on parliament in March 2008 elections for the first time since independence.
Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/World/Tsvangirai-sworn-in-as-Zimbabwe-PM/articleshow/4114425.cms
The image of Mugabe standing to administer Morgan Tsvangirai's oath himself was extraordinary given the history of state-sponsored violence against the opposition in Zimbabwe, and the determination Mugabe has shown in nearly three decades to hold onto to every shred of power.
Tsvangirai has been beaten and was once nearly thrown from a 10th floor window by suspected government thugs. He acknowledged in a speech following Wednesday ceremony that many don't think the partnership will work, but said it was the ``only viable arrangement.''
Later, at a celebration rally attended by some 15,000 supporters, Tsvangirai pledged to reopen schools that are closed because teachers can't afford bus fare and to fight a cholera epidemic blamed on the cash-strapped government's neglect of hospitals and sanitation.
He drew the biggest cheers when he said all government workers — from teachers to soldiers — would be paid in hard currency starting next month to shield them from the world's highest inflation rate. He did not say how the government would afford that.
People in the crowd threw Zimbabwe dollars like confetti, expressing their contempt for the nearly worthless currency.
The country's economic collapse — for which Tsvangirai holds Mugabe responsible — has left millions of Zimbabwean dependent on international food aid.
Ian Stephens, a Harare businessman, said it was too early to celebrate the new government, which comes nearly a year after the country's disputed presidential election.
``It depends on how cooperative Mugabe is and whether he can be trusted,'' Stephens said. But ``Mugabe no longer has absolute power and that could be the turning point.''
Sampson Ibrahim, a street vendor, was in a crowd watching the broadcast on a TV in the window of an electronics store in downtown Harare.
``I am happy because I expect prices to go down,'' Ibrahim said. ``They've got to get the schools and the hospitals working again.''
Mugabe declared Wednesday he had offered ``my hand of friendship and solidarity to work with (Tsvangirai's party) for the service of Zimbabwe.''
``The road to this arrangement has not been easy,'' Mugabe said afterward. ``It has been a long and tedious road. But we hope and trust that we have put ourselves to a commitment of making this country work again.''
Neighboring leaders who pushed for the coalition said that once the two men had joined in the unity government, Mugabe and Tsvangirai would overcome mutual mistrust and work together for the good of their country.
Mugabe, who turns 85 on February 21 and has been in power since independence from Britain in 1980, has in the recent past treated the 56-year-old Tsvangirai as a junior partner at best.
Tsvangirai won the most votes in the first round of presidential election held almost a year ago, and withdrew from a June runoff only because of attacks on his supporters.
Tsvangirai's decade-old party, the Movement for Democratic Change, also broke ZANU-PF's lock on parliament in March 2008 elections for the first time since independence.
Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/World/Tsvangirai-sworn-in-as-Zimbabwe-PM/articleshow/4114425.cms
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