Tsvangirai sworn in as Zimbabwe PM
- 00:03:08
- ITN
Tsvangirai sworn in as Zimbabwe PM
Zimbabwe's opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai has been sworn in as the country's prime minister. He prepared for the ceremony in Harare by visiting his Methodist church in the capital with his wife and daughters. In a deal with rival President Robert Mugabe, the two agreed to share power last year. But their mistrust and continued disagreements held up implementation and have raised questions over how well they will be able to work together following last year's bloody elections. Implementation of the power-sharing deal only came after increased pressure from Southern African countries. Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Tsvangirai won a first-round presidential election vote against Mugabe last year but boycotted a subsequent runoff over violence against his supporters and Mr Mugabe, 84, was re-elected unopposed. Zimbabweans hope the new government will bring policies to revive a country suffering hyper-inflation, unemployment above 90 per cent, food shortages and a cholera epidemic that has killed nearly 3,500 people and infected more than 70,000. "Expectations are high for Tsvangirai, who will carry the burden of rebuilding the economy, but people will have to be a bit more patient or they will be disappointed," said John Robertson, a leading economist. Tsvangirai, 56, said on Tuesday he would focus on creating economic stability and attracting foreign investment. But this is not an easy task given the global financial crisis and the fact that Western donors remain wary over the deal with Mr Mugabe. He will also need to reverse a crippling brain drain after skilled workers fled Zimbabwe and its shattered economy in droves, mostly for neighbouring South Africa or Britain.
ITN | February 11, 2009
