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HARARE, Sep 12 (IPS) - Zimbabwe's political leaders signed a long overdue power sharing deal late on Thursday night.

The deal follows four consecutive days of talks between the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) and the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) at a Harare hotel.

In Harare. © Amodiovalerio Verde (flickr)With economic and social conditions in the country continuing to deteriorate, Zimbabweans welcomed the news.

"This is what we have been praying for in a long time because it's the only way that our country was to go forward but to be honest this is too good to be true," said Chenesai Musundure, a Harare primary school teacher.

Earlier on Thursday, President Robert Mugabe had told a meeting of the country's traditional chiefs in the city of Bulawayo that he would never give the opposition party the governing powers that they have been pushing for.

But at around 9:00 pm, political leaders emerged to announce that a deal had been signed.

"We have a deal," said opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Morgan Tsvangirai as he emerged from the hotel.

A good number of Zimbabweans have chosen to give the date of the signing a new meaning.

"September 11 is known around the world for nasty things but we have given the date a new meaning. For us it's a day of freedom," said Chris Chademana, a Harare meat trader.

Some question whether this deal will be able to change the political environment that has characterized the country for the past eight years.

Gladys Hlatswayo, an advocacy officer for the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition told IPS that the deal is a positive development.

"Whatever it brings we just hope it will bring a reprieve to the suffering people."
- Jestina Mukoko, Zimbabwe Peace ProjectIt is a positive thing that a deal has been signed but let's waits and see what it has for the people of Zimbabwe. We don't want a deal which will merely use other politicians to sanitize Mugabe yet there is nothing for the voter. Not much can be said now and we remain patient until Monday when we see what they have signed," said Hlatswayo.

But Jestina Mukoko, director of the Zimbabwe Peace Project said the mere signing of the deal brings back hope in the country.

"It's exciting that a deal has been signed although we don't know what it holds as yet. It is at least bringing a lot of hope on the people who were looking up to the talks. But whatever it brings we just hope it will bring a reprieve to the suffering people," said Mukoko.

According to officials of the opposition MDC party led by Morgan Tsvangirai who are part of the negotiating team, President Mugabe will retain his powers as the country's president. He will appoint and chair cabinet while Tsvangirai becomes the prime minister and chair of a council of ministers. The council of ministers will assist and advise the president on government policies and will have powers to reject decisions of the cabinet.

Mugabe will also retain his two existing vice presidential posts while Tsvangirai and Arthur Mutambara -- leader of the smaller faction of the MDC -- will each appoint one deputy prime minister.

The deal provides for 31 cabinet posts of which Mugabe's ZANU-PF will have 15, MDC-Tsvangirai 13, and three for the Mutambara-led section of the MDC.

The three leaders will spend the weekend constituting a government of national unity, which will officially be put in place on Monday at a state function to be attended by African leaders in Harare.

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