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afrol News, 23 August - Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, who is under increased international pressure, today announced the dissolution of his cabinet. The move was overdue, as a new cabinet should have been appointed within 30 days of the March elections. The move was announced in a statement by the Ministry of Information this afternoon. No explanations were given, but it was said that the President would spend the weekend preparing the composition of the new cabinet, expectedly announced on Monday. According to the Zimbabwean constitution, the President however should have named a new cabinet - or reconfirmed the old one - in April this year, within one month after the controversial presidential elections. The opposition therefore has been able to claim the cabinet has been illegal and that its decisions were not legally valid. President Mugabe has also come under increased international pressure over the last weeks. While election irregularities cost him a suspension from the Commonwealth in March, the continuing political violence and the expulsion of white commercial farmers from their land might increase international isolation. The US, Australia and New Zealand this week called for international action against Mugabe's regime. A US government spokesman even said his country was working with Southern African governments to find ways to force Zimbabwe to organise new, free and fair elections. The Zimbabwean government daily 'The Chronicle' interpreted this as "plans to topple the government through sustained pressure on its Southern Africa neighbours." The governments of South Africa and Botswana have already denied they were sustaining these US plans. Although the US government has modified its attack on Mugabe's government, international pressure is still high. Further sanctions against already starving Zimbabwe may be expected. It remains unclear whether President Mugabe's announced cabinet reshuffle is in any way related to the increased external pressure. Word has it in Harare that the President was even planning to bring more hardliners on board.
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