The Herald said Mbeki would now assist in allocating the "outstanding" ministry of finance and indicated he would have little leeway to pressure Mugabe to cede other ministries to the opposition.

Mbeki negotiated the power-sharing deal signed by Mugabe and Tsvangirai on Sept. 15 but since then has been ousted as South African president leaving him with less diplomatic clout.

Meanwhile, the country's humanitarian crisis continues with delays in forming a government are dashing hopes of an inflow of aid.

The U.N. World Food Program predicted a famine emergency with 45 percent of the country's population needing food aid by early 2009.

Zimbabwe's economic collapse, with annual inflation hovering around 231 million percent, has kept seeds, fertilizer and farming equipment out of the reach of many. The nation is facing chronic shortages of food, medicine, gasoline, currency, electricity and water.

"ZANU-PF has waylaid and mugged the people's desire to see a new government put in place which would solve the endemic problems of starvation, clean water, housing, better health care and education," Chamisa said.