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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Biti gets key Zimbabwe ministry | Biti gets key Zimbabwe ministry |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Zimbabwean opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai has named Tendai Biti as finance minister in a unity government with President Robert Mugabe. | Zimbabwean opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai has named Tendai Biti as finance minister in a unity government with President Robert Mugabe. |
| Mr Biti is secretary general of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), Zimbabwe's main opposition party. | Mr Biti is secretary general of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), Zimbabwe's main opposition party. |
| Last week a Zimbabwean judge dropped treason charges against Mr Biti over an alleged coup plot, citing lack of progress in the case against him. | Last week a Zimbabwean judge dropped treason charges against Mr Biti over an alleged coup plot, citing lack of progress in the case against him. |
| The cabinet in the new coalition government will be sworn in on Friday. | The cabinet in the new coalition government will be sworn in on Friday. |
| Mr Biti's new position will be a key one, given the country's economic collapse. | |
| It was once considered the breadbasket of southern Africa, but now suffers some 90% unemployment with inflation running at the last estimate at 231m%. | |
| Vocal critic | |
| Once in the job, Mr Biti would focus on creating economic stability and attracting foreign investment, said Mr Tsvangirai - who is himself set to become prime minister on Wednesday. | |
| "This [finance] ministry's mandate is to create a stable economic environment for all Zimbabweans... and to establish Zimbabwe as a strong investment centre," Mr Tsvangirai told a news conference, according to Reuters news agency. | "This [finance] ministry's mandate is to create a stable economic environment for all Zimbabweans... and to establish Zimbabwe as a strong investment centre," Mr Tsvangirai told a news conference, according to Reuters news agency. |
| Mr Tsvangirai also demanded that political detainees in Zimbabwe's jails be released prior to his swearing in - though he did not say what he would do if they were not. | |
| Mr Biti is one of Mr Mugabe's most trenchant and vocal critics, say observers. | Mr Biti is one of Mr Mugabe's most trenchant and vocal critics, say observers. |
| Shortly after the treason charges were dropped against him, he renewed his commitment to "finish this job that we started of removing the dictatorship of Robert Mugabe". | Shortly after the treason charges were dropped against him, he renewed his commitment to "finish this job that we started of removing the dictatorship of Robert Mugabe". |