Johannesburg  - After ten years in the pro-democracy trenches Zimbabwe's longtime opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai is set to cement his pact with his arch-nemesis, Robert Mugabe on Wednesday and be sworn in as prime minister of a unity government.

Supporters of Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) are expected to throng Glamis football stadium in the capital Harare for the ceremony, which marks a milestone in the career of the man derided by Mugabe as a Western lackey and a "teaboy."

Johannesburg - Leading Zimbabwean opposition figure Tendai Biti will become the country's finance minister before the week is out, Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Morgan Tsvangirai announced Tuesday.

Biti, a lawyer by training and a vocal critic of President Robert Mugabe, will be sworn in as minister on Friday, along with some 30 other ministers from the MDC and Mugabe's Zanu-PF that will form a unity government.

Harare  - Zimbabwe's parliament Thursday passed a constitutional amendment bill that clears some of the remaining hurdles to the formation of a unity government between President Robert Mugabe and the opposition next week.

The amendment creates the post of prime minister for Morgan Tsvangirai, leader of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).

Harare - Police in Zimbabwe are holding a local employee of the United States stage aid agency USAID in connection with an alleged attack in December on the country's air force boss, Air Marshall Perence Shiri, court documents revealed Wednesday.

Frank Muchirahondo, 36, a driver with the agency, is being held at a remand prison in Bindura, around 80 kilometres north-east of the capital Harare, in connection with the attack on Shiri, who was reportedly shot in the hand by unknown assailants while driving in the area.

Muchirahondo was arrested at a border post with Mozambique on 22 January, court documents lodged at the High Court, where he is applying for bail, showed. He faces charges of attempted murder.

Harare - Four days after Zimbabwe's opposition gave in to pressure to join President Robert Mugabe in a unity government, the deal looked to be in jeopardy again Tuesday as Morgan Tsvangirai's party accused Mugabe's Zanu-PF of shirking its commitments.

Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) spokesman Nelson Chamisa accused Zanu-PF of backtracking on a commitment to resolve outstanding sticking points before the new government is formed.

Harare -