By Cris Chinaka
HARARE (Reuters) - Zimbabwe's two opposition factions willhave one more cabinet seat than the ZANU-PF party of PresidentRobert Mugabe under a power-sharing deal, an opposition senatorsaid on Friday.
Senator David Coltart, a senior member of the smallerbreakaway faction of the MDC, said in an email that MorganTsvangirai's main group would have 13 cabinet seats, ZANU-PF 15seats and his group three seats.
This was based on votes cast for the parties rather thanseats won in a March 29 election in which ZANU-PF lost controlof parliament for the first time since independence in 1980.
Coltart said Mugabe's power would be greatly reduced underthe deal and Tsvangirai, in the new role of prime minister,would have substantial but not absolute power.
Mugabe, who has ruled with an iron hand since independence,would remain as president and chair the cabinet whileTsvangirai would head a council of ministers.
The latter would supervise the cabinet, Coltart said. Heconfirmed the email to Reuters by phone.
Both sides said on Thursday they had reached apower-sharing deal after two months of negotiations following adeep post-election crisis, but they said details would not bereleased until a ceremony on Monday.
Zimbabweans are desperate for an end to a crisis that hasdestroyed the economy, saddling the once-prosperous countrywith the world's highest rate of hyper-inflation and sendingmillions of refugees into neighbouring countries.
INCLUSIVE GOVERNMENT
Coltart, Secretary for Legal Affairs in the MDC faction ofArthur Mutambara, said the deal would allow the creation of aninclusive government which would initiate a process ofconstitutional reform lasting 18 months.
This process would end with the creation of a newdemocratic constitution, including setting of a date for newelections.
"The inclusive government will have Robert Mugabe aspresident with greatly reduced powers to those he enjoystoday... Morgan Tsvangirai will be prime minister. Although hedoes not have absolute power, he does have substantial power,"Coltart said.
He added that Tsvangirai would advise Mugabe on all futureappointments including those of judges.
Coltart said Tsvangirai would be vice chairman of thecabinet. There would be two largely ceremonial vice presidentsfrom ZANU-PF.
In addition, Mugabe's party would have eight deputyministers, Tsvangirai's MDC six and Mutambara's faction one.
"If the two MDC factions work together, which they must inthe national interest, they will enjoy a majority in cabinet,"Coltart said.
The European Union is reconsidering whether to extendsanctions against Mugabe's party in the light of apower-sharing agreement, the French presidency of the bloc saidon Friday.
"We need to study the agreement and assess the commitmentsof the parties," a presidency official told a news briefing.
"We will be considering this over the course of the day andthe weekend and we will see how and to what extent and theremay be adjustments in the initial draft conclusions," theofficial said of previous plans by EU foreign ministers toannounce an extension of sanctions on Monday.
(Additional reporting by Jeremy Lovell in London, DavidBrunnstrom in Brussels; Writing by Barry Moody; Editing byMatthew Tostevin)
