Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe was heckled by the opposition yesterday as he opened parliament and declared that “landmark agreements” were expected to be signed by the country’s political rivals.
“Landmark agreements have been concluded with every expectation that everybody will sign up,” Mugabe said to boos and jeers from the house.
While recognizing “regrettable and isolated” incidents of political violence, Mugabe went on to say that “happily all political parties in the country have acknowledged culpability in this violence” to further heckling.
“I acknowledge the inordinate delay in opening this session of parliament, hoping you will appreciate the delay owed to a praiseworthy search for peace and greater amity for our nation,” he said.
ROTTEN
Opposition members of parliament later sang “ZANU [PF] is rotten” with a number of senior Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leaders present despite the party earlier indicating it would boycott the opening over the lack of progress in power-sharing negotiations.
The parliament was adjourned to Oct. 14.
Earlier, Mugabe had arrived to cheers from a crowd of supporters gathered outside the parliament building in Harare.
Wearing the regalia of his ZANU-PF party, the crowd sang “He is our father. He is our leader” while Mugabe arrived in a Rolls Royce used for state ceremonies and then inspected a guard of honor.
The MDC said earlier yesterday that Mugabe had no right to address the chamber until power-sharing talks were completed.
KEY POSITIONS
On Monday, ZANU-PF and the MDC won key positions in the two parliamentary chambers, complicating Zimbabwe’s post-election political crisis.
The MDC won the position of speaker of parliament, one of the most powerful posts in Zimbabwean politics.
ZANU-PF won a vote for the presidency of the upper house of parliament, the Senate — where it has a majority — meaning it can block legislation passed by parliament.
Negotiations between ZANU-PF and the MDC have stalled over what the opposition says is Mugabe’s refusal to give up executive power after 28 years in office.
The deadlock, which persists in spite of strong regional and international pressure for a deal, has dampened hopes of an agreement that could end the political crisis and revive the economy.
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