An opposition Movement for Democratic Change source close to the negotiations said on condition of anonymity: “ZANU-PF wants all the powerful ministries like finance, defence, local government and information and leave us less important ministries. We are saying: ‘Let’s have an equal share’.”

The two sides have remained divided in the negotiations over how President Robert Mugabe, 84, and Movement for Democratic Change leader Morgan Tsvangirai would share power in a national unity government. A Zimbabwean analyst called the talks “dead”.