FEATURE-Cash-hungry Zimbabweans tired of political impasse

By Nelson Banya

HARARE, Sept 26 (Reuters) - Edith Tembo sits on the pavement outside a Zimbabwean bank, tired and dejected after waiting all night to withdraw money that is barely enough to pay for her bus fare home.

A deadlock over the allocation of cabinet posts has dashed hopes that a power-sharing deal between President Robert Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai would bring quick relief for Tembo and others hurt by the nation's economic crisis.

Zimbabwe is struggling with the highest inflation rate in the world -- pegged at above 11 million percent -- and chronic shortages of food, foreign currency and fuel. There is now a shortage of Zimbabwean dollars.

"When the deal was signed, we expected that at least things would start changing for the better, but our situation is actually worse now," said Tembo, who supplements her husband's income by selling scarce groceries on a roadside stall.

"Everywhere, queues are longer and goods more expensive than before."

Tsvangirai, who is set to become prime minister under the power-sharing pact, came face to face on Friday with the extent of the once-prosperous nation's crisis on a visit to banks in Harare's central business district.

Hordes of residents waiting for cash in lines that spilled onto the streets greeted him.

"We are hungry, Prime Minister!" a young man in the crowd said, as he enthusiastically shook Tsvangirai's hand. "Please help us, we've been here for hours and the money can't even take us far."

Tsvangirai, the leader of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change, promised to address the situation.

LIMITS ON CASH

But his success hinges on his ability to work with Mugabe, his bitter rival. The veteran Zimbabwean leader, in power since 1980, had routinely dismissed Tsvangirai as a Western puppet before agreeing this month to form a unity government.

The deal was hatched in the wake of the country's disputed presidential election. Tsvangirai won the first round and withdrew from the second after his supporters were attacked by Mugabe's security forces and his ZANU-PF party.

Former South African President Thabo Mbeki helped broker the deal between the ruling party and the opposition, which was supposed to get the majority of cabinet positions.

Mbeki, however, was ousted from power last weekend and the impasse over who will get what cabinet positions has led to growing frustrations on the streets of Harare.