Merger near in Zimbabwe

Press, 5 October 1985, Page 8

Merger near in Zimbabwe

NZPA-NYT Harare Zimbabwe’s two main political parties reached a broad agreement to merge at a meeting between the Prime Minister, Mr Robert. Mugabe, and the Leader of the Opposition, Mr Joshua Nkomo, according to an announcement in Harare. Relations between the two parties, Mr Mugabe’s Zimbabwe African National Union and Mr Nkomo’s Zimbabwe African People’s Union, have been marked by longstanding personal and ethnic antagonisms. Politicians from both parties, as well as leaders of Zimbabwe’s business, church and diplomatic communities, have expressed the hope that a merger would go a long way towards ending tensions be-

tween the country’s majority Shona-speaking people, who largely support Mr Mugabe’s party, and the minority Ndeoele-speaking people, who back Mr Nkomo’s group. Mr Mugabe plans to leave Harare today for a threeweek trip to the Caribbean including the Commonwealth heads of Government meeting. • 1 He will also visit New York, where he will address the United Nations. Final approval 2 of the merger conditions is planned for after Mr Mugabe’s return. According to officials close to the talks, Mr Nkomo will be one of two vice-presidents of the new party, under the presidency of Mr Mugabe.