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| MDC minister arrested in Harare | MDC minister arrested in Harare |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A senior opposition official and ministerial nominee has been arrested in Zimbabwe just before a new power-sharing cabinet was sworn in. | |
| Roy Bennett, the MDC's choice to become deputy agriculture minister, was reportedly seized at a Harare airport. | Roy Bennett, the MDC's choice to become deputy agriculture minister, was reportedly seized at a Harare airport. |
| The white farmer, who lost his property under President Robert Mugabe's land reform programme, has previously reported death threats. | The white farmer, who lost his property under President Robert Mugabe's land reform programme, has previously reported death threats. |
| MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai and Mr Mugabe have agreed to form a coalition. | |
| Despite the arrest, Mr Mugabe swore in the new cabinet at State House in the capital, Harare. | |
| Mugabe may be part of the problem, but he's also part of the solution MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai class="" href="/1/hi/business/7885343.stm">Can Zimbabwe's economy be fixed? However, it was delayed by two and a half hours in a row over the allocation of ministers. | |
| Under the power-sharing agreement, President Mugabe's Zanu-PF is to have 15 posts and the two factions of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) 16. | |
| But Zimbabwean journalist Brian Hungwe says an extra five Zanu-PF ministers of state turned up for the ceremony, and the issue was only resolved after intense closed-door negotiations. | |
| Controversial figure | |
| MDC spokesman Ian Makone said Mr Bennett was arrested at the small Charles Prince airport, north-west of the capital, Harare. | |
| On Thursday, Mr Bennett told the BBC that he was in hiding as the security services had issued an arrest warrant for him. | On Thursday, Mr Bennett told the BBC that he was in hiding as the security services had issued an arrest warrant for him. |
| KEY CABINET APPOINTMENTS Zanu-PF: Emmerson Mnangagwa, seen as a possible successor to Robert Mugabe, defence Sydney Sekeramayi, ex-defence minister, state security Joseph Made, ex-agricultural minister, agriculture Patrick Chinamasa, chief negotiator of power-sharing deal, justice Kembo Mohadi, former home affairs minister, home affairs MDC: Tendai Biti, lawyer and ex-student leader, finance Giles Mutsekwa, lawyer with a military background, home affairsHenry Madzorera, trained doctor, healthEric Matinenga, lawyer who defended Mr Tsvangirai on treason charges, constitutional affairsRoy Bennett, former farmer, arrested, deputy agriculture minister href="/1/hi/world/africa/7881582.stm">Full profile: Tendai Biti class="" href="/1/hi/world/africa/7617731.stm">Zimbabwe deal: Key points | |
| Mr Bennett, a former MP, has long been a controversial figure. | |
| He was in prison from October 2004 to June 2005 - a sentence imposed by other MPs after he pushed a government minister during an argument in parliament over land reform. | |
| He has only recently returned to Zimbabwe after more than two years in exile in South Africa. | |
| He fled Zimbabwe after police sought his arrest in connection with an alleged plot against President Mugabe. | |
| Other MDC members who were arrested in connection with the same alleged plot were later released and charges dropped. | |
| The BBC's Andrew Harding in Harare says Mr Bennett believes the latest development shows that Zanu-PF hardliners are trying to scupper the new coalition. | |
| "They want us to walk away from this deal. We've just got to be smarter than them," he said. | "They want us to walk away from this deal. We've just got to be smarter than them," he said. |
| Before the swearing-in ceremony, MDC leader and Zimbabwe's new Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai told the BBC the country was "on its knees". | |
| He said the humanitarian situation needed to be tackled, schools re-opened and the cholera epidemic which has killed some 3,400 people ended. | |
| "We have to find a solution to the country's crisis," he said. | "We have to find a solution to the country's crisis," he said. |
| "Mugabe may be part of the problem, but he's also part of the solution. I am sure the reverse will also apply to me from their side. | "Mugabe may be part of the problem, but he's also part of the solution. I am sure the reverse will also apply to me from their side. |
| "But we have reached the stage now where we say we have to have a negotiated settlement, for the sake of the people." | "But we have reached the stage now where we say we have to have a negotiated settlement, for the sake of the people." |
| The economy is in meltdown, with the local currency virtually worthless and unemployment of some 90%. | |
| Rivals | |
| Correspondents say Friday's upsets show how difficult it will be for the coalition to work. | |
| Many of the Zanu-PF ministers have served in cabinet since Mr Mugabe was first elected in 1980. | |
| Robert Mugabe (R) swore his rival, Mr Tsvangirai, into office on WednesdaySeveral MDC ministers have been beaten or arrested for their opposition to Mr Mugabe. | |
| Zanu-PF's Emmerson Mnangagwa, the new defence minister, has long been seen as a potential successor to Mr Mugabe and was accused of links to the 2008 election violence against the MDC. | |
| Sydney Sekeramayi, a former defence minister, takes the state security ministry which controls the feared Central Intelligence Organisation. | |
| MDC Secretary General Tendai Biti takes on the enormous challenge of finance, while as Health Minister Henry Madzorera is now in charge of tackling the cholera outbreak. | |
| The formation of the government has also gone ahead despite MDC concern about the fate of imprisoned activists. | The formation of the government has also gone ahead despite MDC concern about the fate of imprisoned activists. |
| The MDC says more than 30 people, including 72-year-old man Fidelis Charamba, are still being held after being abducted and illegally detained. | The MDC says more than 30 people, including 72-year-old man Fidelis Charamba, are still being held after being abducted and illegally detained. |
| They have been accused of subversion and recruiting fighters to overthrow Mr Mugabe - charges denied by the MDC. | They have been accused of subversion and recruiting fighters to overthrow Mr Mugabe - charges denied by the MDC. |