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Biti to get Zimbabwe finance post | Biti to get Zimbabwe finance post |
(about 3 hours later) | |
Zimbabwean opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai has named Tendai Biti as his choice for finance minister in a unity government with Robert Mugabe. | Zimbabwean opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai has named Tendai Biti as his choice for finance minister in a unity government with 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. | 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, while the government has stopped releasing inflation figures and recently said that foreign currency could be used as legal tender. | |
Truth and reconciliation | |
Under the terms of last September's power-sharing deal, Mr Tsvangirai was given the choice of finance minister. KEY MDC APPOINTMENTS Finance: Tendai Biti, lawyer and student leader Home Affairs: Giles Mutsekwa, lawyer with a military background Health: Henry Madzorera, trained doctor Constitutional Affairs: Eric Matinenga, lawyer who defended Mr Tsvangirai on treason charges Deputy Agriculture Minister: Roy Bennett, farmer, forced to flee Zimbabwe Full profile: Tendai Biti | |
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. | 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 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. |
The MDC leader said there were plans to set up a truth and reconciliation commission to address the deadly violence during the 2008 elections. | |
Surprise | |
Other key MDC appointments included lawyer Giles Mutsekwa to home affairs, the ministry which controls the police and is to be shared with Zanu-PF. | |
Mr Mutsekwa has been in and out of jail and has a military background.Roy Bennett was imprisoned after pushing a minister in parliament | |
Eric Matinenga, as Mr Tsvangirai's choice for minister of constitutional affairs, will be expected oversee the writing of a new constitution within the next 18 months. | |
Zimbabwean journalist Brian Hungwe says a surprise appointment was Roy Bennett, who lost his farm during the violent land seizures, as deputy agriculture minister. | |
He fled Zimbabwe for South Africa in 2006, saying he feared for his life after being accused of involvement in a plot against Mr Mugabe. | |
Mr Bennett spent eight months in prison from October 2004 to June 2005 - a sentence imposed by other MPs after he pushed a government minister during a heated debate in parliament about Mr Mugabe's controversial land reform programme. | |
Henry Madzorera takes on health and will have the task of dealing with the cholera outbreak which has now infected nearly 66,000 people and killed more than 3,300 since August. | |
Mr Biti - a lawyer and founding member of the MDC - is one of Mr Mugabe's most trenchant and vocal critics, say observers. | Mr Biti - a lawyer and founding member of the MDC - 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". |