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Tsvangirai to boycott unity government over Mugabe's 'dishonest' behavior
Zimbabwe's prime minister, Morgan Tsvangirai, said today that his party was boycotting the unity government over the "dishonest and unreliable" behavior of President Robert Mugabe and his Zanu-PF allies.
Addressing a news conference in Harare, Tsvangirai stopped short of pulling out of the coalition but said fresh elections might eventually be necessary if the political crisis was not resolved.
Though the decision was sparked by the detention this week of Roy Bennett, a Movement for Democratic Change minister, it reflects months of frustration over the lack of genuine power-sharing.
"It is our right to disengage from a dishonest and unreliable partner," Tsvangirai said. "In this regard, whilst being in government we shall forthwith disengage from Zanu-PF and in particular from cabinet and the council of ministers until such time as confidence and respect are restored amongst us."