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Tsvangirai to be sworn in as PM | Tsvangirai to be sworn in as PM |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Zimbabwe's opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai is to be sworn in as prime minister in a unity government with President Robert Mugabe. | Zimbabwe's opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai is to be sworn in as prime minister in a unity government with President Robert Mugabe. |
Mr Tsvangirai won the first round of last year's presidential election - but he withdrew from the run-off citing violence against his supporters. | Mr Tsvangirai won the first round of last year's presidential election - but he withdrew from the run-off citing violence against his supporters. |
However he later agreed to share power with Mr Mugabe. | However he later agreed to share power with Mr Mugabe. |
Problems facing the new government include a cholera epidemic, a collapsed economy and a 90% unemployment rate. | Problems facing the new government include a cholera epidemic, a collapsed economy and a 90% unemployment rate. |
More than 3,400 people have died in Zimbabwe's cholera epidemic, and the country's annual inflation was last estimated at 231m%. | More than 3,400 people have died in Zimbabwe's cholera epidemic, and the country's annual inflation was last estimated at 231m%. |
More than half the population rely on emergency food aid. | More than half the population rely on emergency food aid. |
New coalition | New coalition |
On Tuesday, Mr Tsvangirai named Tendai Biti, the secretary general of his Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), as his choice for finance minister. STATE OF ZIMBABWE Five million people - almost half population - need food aidInflation about 234m% - the highest in the worldUnemployment of 90%About 3,400 people killed in cholera outbreak Tsvangirai's tough choice | |
A Zimbabwean judge last week dropped treason charges against Mr Biti over an alleged coup plot, citing lack of progress in the case against him. | A Zimbabwean judge last week dropped treason charges against Mr Biti over an alleged coup plot, citing lack of progress in the case against him. |
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. |
In January, Mr Tsvangirai returned to Zimbabwe after an absence of more than two months for fresh talks with Mr Mugabe on sharing power. | In January, Mr Tsvangirai returned to Zimbabwe after an absence of more than two months for fresh talks with Mr Mugabe on sharing power. |
Earlier negotiations had faltered after the MDC accused Mr Mugabe's Zanu-PF of keeping the most powerful ministries - including the one that controls the police - to itself. | Earlier negotiations had faltered after the MDC accused Mr Mugabe's Zanu-PF of keeping the most powerful ministries - including the one that controls the police - to itself. |
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. |
The tasks facing the ministers are daunting and there is deep scepticism about whether it will work, says the BBC's southern Africa correspondent, Peter Biles. | |
At best it will be a transitional arrangement leading eventually to a new constitution and fresh elections, he says. |