27 Jan 2009

Doubt hovers over Zimbabwe power-sharing deal

9:17 pm on 27 January 2009

The future of Zimbabwe's power-sharing deal remains uncertain after 14 hours of deliberations in Pretoria, South Africa.

A summit of Southern African leaders chaired by South African President Kgalema Motlanthe announced that all parties had agreed to implement the deal and form a government, but the Zimbabwean opposition, the MDC, says it is not satisfied.

It was the 15-nation Southern African Development Community's fifth attempt to secure a deal on forming a unity government

Mr Motlanthe said it had agreed that MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai should be sworn in as prime minister by February 11, but the MDC quickly issued a statement saying that "quite clearly the conclusions reached as reflected in the communique fall far short of our expectations".

It said its national council would meet this weekend to define its position on the summit.

Zimbabwe is in a state of economic and social collapse, and a cholera epidemic has killed nearly 3000 people.