Zimbabwe's Unity Government has suffered what might be a fatal blow at the hands of President Robert Mugabe.

According to the Movement for Democratic Change, President Robert Mugabe has stripped effective power from three ministries and given them to ZANU-PF ministers.

The decision, which was made alone by Mugabe, is being seen as an effort to encourage the MDC to quit the unity government.

The move appears to violate the political agreement which brought the unity government into power in September 2008.

MDC officials have said Mugabe does not have the right to make unilateral alterations to the government, especially in a matter as serious as changing government ministers.