Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe handed key ministries to his own party on Saturday, prompting an outraged opposition to warn that he may have jeopardised a four-week old power-sharing agreement.

A government notice carried by the state-run Herald newspaper said the veteran leader had given his Zanu-PF party 14 ministries, including the defence, home, foreign affairs, justice, local government and media portfolios.

Furthermore Mugabe — in power since Zimbabwe's 1980 independence from Britain — would retain control of the army, police and other state security apparatus, the notice said.

The move was condemned by opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai, whose Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) branded it "a giant act of madness."

Tsvangirai defeated Mugabe in a first round presidential vote in March but pulled out of a June run-off because of deadly violence against his supporters. Zanu-PF lost control of parliament to the MDC in March's legislative elections.

Mugabe and Tsvangirai, along with a breakaway MDC leader, signed a power-sharing deal brokered by former South African president Thabo Mbeki on 15 September.

Under the agreement, 84-year-old Mugabe remains as president while Tsvangirai takes the new post of prime minister.

But efforts to form the government have bogged down over disputes about who will control the most important ministries, such as defence, home affairs and finance.

Saturday's shock announcement came hours after negotiators for the three main parties in the stand-off, including Zanu-PF, urged Mbeki to step in once again to resolve the deadlock over the allocation of the ministries.

Mbeki's spokesperson said the former South African leader would head to Zimbabwe on Monday to find out what was holding up the implementation of the power-sharing deal.

The MDC said Saturday's cabinet line-up was the "product of unilateral, contemptuous and outrageous machinations," stressing that only informal talks had been held a day before on the allocation of posts but no decision taken.

"In fact, it is a giant act of madness which puts the whole deal into jeopardy," it said, underscoring that the ruling party on Friday "wanted to take the ministries of finance, home affairs, local government and foreign affairs from the MDC."

According to the government report, Tsvangirai's MDC gets 13 portfolios, including constitutional and parliamentary affairs, economic planning and investment promotion, labour and social welfare, sport and arts and culture.

The splinter opposition grouping led by Arthur Mutambara would get three ministries, giving the combined opposition 16 ministries in the 31-member proposed cabinet.

Tsvangirai — who gets the newly created prime ministerial post — is due to address a rally in Harare on Sunday where he is expected to make his first comments on Mugabe's latest gambit.

Zimbabwe is now a far cry from the model regional economy and breadbasket it once was. Inflation soared to 231 million percent in July, while food and basic goods are critically understocked and unemployment rampant.

The country is set to unveil a new Z$50 000 banknote on Monday, the central bank said.

The new note — which will come barely two weeks after the launch of a Z$20 000 banknote — is worth US$5 on the parallel market and US$294 at the official rate, and is enough for three loaves of bread.

MDC spokesperson Nelson Chamisa urged fresh regional mediation to end the ruinous political crisis which has added to the misery of Zimbabweans living on the edge.

"There is a deadlock and it can only be broken through Sadc (the Southern African Development Community) and its appointed mediator, Mbeki," he said.

But some urged the MDC to accept what was on offer and serve the country's best interests even if the situation was unjust.

"Zimbabweans are suffering and the MDC can use the ministries allocated to them to do what they can to improve the lot of Zimbabweans and rally the people to their cause," said Takavafira Zhou, a political scientist.

"Pulling out would be futile. If they pull out they would have to employ another strategy but what strategy can they use when Zaun-PF is in control of the army and the police?"

AFP