Zimbabwe's rival parties have drafted a constitutional amendment creating the post of prime minister, which opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai is supposed to fill under a power-sharing deal, the government said on Tuesday.

Information Minister Sikanyiso Ndlovu said the amendment was sent to former South African president Thabo Mbeki, who has mediated Zimbabwe's political standoff between veteran President Robert Mugabe and Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).

"Constitutional amendment number 19, key to the formation of an inclusive government, is now complete and has been sent to the mediator in South Africa for scrutiny," Ndlovu said on state television.

"The draft bill will then be gazetted according to law. After gazetting, the draft will have 30 days waiting period for the public, clergy churches, stakeholders to scrutinise and to make their own observations", he said.

The parliament will then vote on the amendment, which creates the premier's post and defines its powers.

The MDC wrested control of parliament from Mugabe's Zanu-PF party for the first time in general elections in March.

While Tsvangirai won the presidential election's first round, he boycotted the runoff over violence against his supporters.

The MDC has said it would only join a unity government once a constitutional amendment is passed to comply with all the terms of the 15 September deal, under which Mugabe would remain president and Tsvangirai become premier.

The two sides, however, have been locked in a standoff over the allocation of key ministries.

AFP