Give us the women - it's free for all says Mugabe

President Robert Mugabe says he is not to blame for the small number of women ministers in the new cabinet.

Mugabe was speaking to the media after swearing in the new cabinet at State House on Wednesday afternoon.

"Give us the women. This time we did proportional representation, but there were just not enough women. Women are few in universities. It's no longer necessary to do affirmative action; it's free for all," he said.

For the past decade or two, some African governments including Zimbabwe have been making deliberate efforts to ensure women take up key positions in national government and other critical organisations.

Laws and deliberate policies have been put in place and targets set to facilitate women's inclusion with SADC and the African Union coming up with specific targets and deadlines for the attainment of this goal.

Zimbabwe, which at independence adopted affirmative action and strategies to promote women, is not an exception and thanks to these women who have been elevated to influential political positions.

President Mugabe however says despite the improvement of access to education, women continue to lag behind as they have not taken up opportunities to improve themselves, while others would not simply emerge.

"Let women contest without preferential treatment. But this time around, we had to do affirmative action, but the women would not emerge," he said.

Asked why he had not included MDC-T members in his cabinet, the President explained that they refused to accept defeat and questioned the legitimacy of the 31st July harmonised elections.

"Are you saying when a party wins, it must necessarily have members of the opposition included in its Cabinet? That is matter that should be discussed between the parties.

"You must agree. When we had the results of the elections, the MDC-T started saying it does not recognise the elections. It does not recognise even the election of the President and as far as they are concerned the elections were rigged.

"And once you have the opposition with that attitude what do you do? Tell me what should I have done?  I would have expected that the opposition would say aah, we have lost, we accept defeat. Fine, but we are prepared to work together. No. They started even making statements - there are indications that the President would want some of us to be in the Cabinet. We do not want it.

"The President had never made an indication like that. Zvino maiti todiiko? Mushandirapamwe tinouda asi unotauriranwaka. Zvino kana vamwe vachibva vava that negative tovaita sei? Tovasungirira?" he asked.

The new cabinet is expected to spearhead the country's economic revival and analysts say the critical task that lies ahead needs people who pull in one direction.