HARARE - Ex-prime Prime Minister, Morgan Tsvangirai faces the
prospect of leaving office without a retirement package, following the
scuttling of talks with President Robert Mugabe to define his benefits.
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| Mugabe snubs Tsvangirai |
Government is also yet to assent to the evaluation of Tsvangirai’s Highlands mansion.
“The government has not evaluated the house and as such the onus solely lies on the government to
play the ball,” Luke Tamborinyoka, Tsvangirai’s spokesperson told the Daily News yesterday.
“They have to come and evaluate the house and then give Tsvangirai the right of (first) refusal.”
With Mugabe keeping Tsvangirai at bay, scuttling discussions on the
Highlands mansion, which the former Prime Minister is currently staying
in, frustration seems to be setting in.
The former premier is currently living in suspense, as government has
not made it clear whether it intends to evict him out or sell the house
to him. The house was bought by government for $750 000 and officials
say it was renovated for $1.5 million.
A team from the Public Works ministry visited the residence two months back in a chilling stop-over.
Efforts to get a comment from George Charamba, Mugabe’s spokesman,
were futile yesterday. Official sources say hawks in Zanu PF are pushing
for an order directing that Tsvangirai vacates the official residence.
Tamborinyoka told the Daily News yesterday that government has not communicated anything to his boss regarding the house.
“Tsvangirai is still staying at the official residence,” Tamborinyoka
said. “We have not received any communication from the government and
therefore I cannot tell you what is going to happen concerning the
house.
“But according to the law, Tsvangirai has the first right of refusal if the government intends to sell the house.”
Tamborinyoka said government has not even evaluated the house.
Asked if Mugabe was snubbing Tsvangirai, Tamborinyoka said the former
premier was not desperate for a meeting with Mugabe but only wanted
government to evaluate the property.
“Why would he want to meet Mugabe?” Tamborinyoka said.
“About the house, it is very clear that it has to be evaluated and he
must be given first right of refusal and so I don’t see any reason why
he must meet with the president.”
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