MDC shuns Zimbabwe unity plan

HARARE, Zimbabwe - Zimbabwe's opposition MDC will not join a unity government with President Robert Mugabe until all issues in power-sharing talks are resolved, a party official said yesterday after a meeting to decide whether to take part.

The party also said it had uncovered a plot to assassinate its leaders, further increasing chances that deadlocked negotiations will collapse.

Movement for Democratic Change leader Morgan Tsvangirai has accused Mugabe of trying to take control of the most powerful ministries and freeze out his party in violation of the Sept. 15 agreement seen as the best hope of rescuing Zimbabwe's economy.

MDC Vice President Thokozani Khupe told reporters that a meeting of the party leadership had resolved not to join a government until all outstanding issues in the talks were concluded.

The constitution also had to be changed to enact a unity government and to provide for the posts of prime minister and deputy prime minister, she said.

"Neither Robert Mugabe nor ZANU-PF has the legitimacy to form a government," Khupe said.

The Southern African Development Community, a regional grouping of nations, failed at a summit last Sunday to persuade Zimbabwe's rival parties to settle their differences and move on to the daunting task of rescuing the economy.

REUTERS