Harare/Johannesburg  - Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe has been asked by his ZANU(PF) party on Wednesday to form a government of national unity even if the opposition does not want to be involved.

Addressing journalists in the Zimbabwean capital Harare, ZANU(PF) spokesman Ephraim Masawi said "the Zanu politburo unanimously agreed that President Mugabe form a government of national unity like yesterday. This is in conformity with the SADC (Southern African Development Community) resolution reached over the weekend."

This latest development is likely to further strain relations between ZANU(PF) and the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).

The two parties signed a powersharing deal in September but it has not materialized as the MDC accuse Mugabe of grabbing all the key ministries, such as home affairs, information, defence and local government.

Regional leaders from southern Africa met over the weekend in South Africa and resolved that the ministry for home affairs be co-chaired by ZANU(PF) and MDC, but the MDC refused to endorse the resolution.

The powersharing deal was seen as the hope to stop the economic meltdown in Zimbabwe. Under the terms of the deal, Mugabe - who has ruled the country since independence - would remain president and MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai would become prime minister of a government of 31 ministries. (dpa)