MDC-N urges Zuma not to recognise Mutambara
The MDC-N led by Welshman Ncube has written to South African President Jacob Zuma blasting President Robert Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai for violating the Global Political Agreement (GPA) and interfering in their party affairs and urged the Sadc facilitator not to recognise Arthur Mutambara, who maintains he is still leader of the party.
Ncube’s letter comes hard on the heels of Mutambara’s own complaint to Zuma on May 11, in which he also demanded recognition until the MDC’s power struggle was resolved by the courts.
Mutambara’s letter followed an agreement between Mugabe and Tsvangirai to continue recognising the deputy premier as a principal.
The robotics professor lost the presidency to Ncube, his former secretary-general at the party’s congress in January.
He initially accepted the results but made a U-turn and announced that he did not recognise Ncube after his backers petitioned the High Court seeking nullification of the congress, arguing that Ncube had violated the party’s constitution.
In a letter dated May 16 2011 and copied to President Mugabe, Tsvangirai, the South African facilitation team and GPA chief negotiators, the MDC-N told Zuma that Mutambara had endorsed the congress and all its outcomes.
The letter was signed by the party’s secretary-general Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga.
“In fact, he officially opened the party congress and attended all the proceedings including the election of the party’s new leadership. He freely endorsed congress and all its outcomes. For the avoidance of doubt, I attach hereto the DVD of his address and participation at Congress,” wrote Misihairabwi- Mushonga.
She told Zuma that Mutambara, with the support of President Mugabe and Tsvangirai, sought to use the court petition as grounds for him to remain leader of the party.
She chronicled events which unfolded in the party until the High Court issued an interim order, indicting Mutambara “from purporting to be or performing any function or duty vested in the president of the MDC”.
“That order is legally binding on him although he continues to violate it, including by writing his letter to you,” wrote Mushonga.
“Once again supported by President Mugabe and Prime Minister Tsvangirai, he now claims that there is a distinction between the President of the MDC and its principal in the inclusive government and indeed outside government. This position is self-evident nonsense because it is plain that President Mugabe is a principal because he is the leader of Zanu PF while Tsvangirai is a principal because he is the leader of MDC-T and therefore Mutambara cannot be principal unless he is also the leader of the MDC.”
Mushonga said because of the unlawful behaviour of President Mugabe and Tsvangirai her party had been robbed of representation among principals and also at the top level of the government.
Mutambara’s letter followed an agreement between Mugabe and Tsvangirai to continue recognising the deputy premier as a principal.
The robotics professor lost the presidency to Ncube, his former secretary-general at the party’s congress in January.
He initially accepted the results but made a U-turn and announced that he did not recognise Ncube after his backers petitioned the High Court seeking nullification of the congress, arguing that Ncube had violated the party’s constitution.
In a letter dated May 16 2011 and copied to President Mugabe, Tsvangirai, the South African facilitation team and GPA chief negotiators, the MDC-N told Zuma that Mutambara had endorsed the congress and all its outcomes.
The letter was signed by the party’s secretary-general Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga.
“In fact, he officially opened the party congress and attended all the proceedings including the election of the party’s new leadership. He freely endorsed congress and all its outcomes. For the avoidance of doubt, I attach hereto the DVD of his address and participation at Congress,” wrote Misihairabwi- Mushonga.
She told Zuma that Mutambara, with the support of President Mugabe and Tsvangirai, sought to use the court petition as grounds for him to remain leader of the party.
She chronicled events which unfolded in the party until the High Court issued an interim order, indicting Mutambara “from purporting to be or performing any function or duty vested in the president of the MDC”.
“That order is legally binding on him although he continues to violate it, including by writing his letter to you,” wrote Mushonga.
“Once again supported by President Mugabe and Prime Minister Tsvangirai, he now claims that there is a distinction between the President of the MDC and its principal in the inclusive government and indeed outside government. This position is self-evident nonsense because it is plain that President Mugabe is a principal because he is the leader of Zanu PF while Tsvangirai is a principal because he is the leader of MDC-T and therefore Mutambara cannot be principal unless he is also the leader of the MDC.”
Mushonga said because of the unlawful behaviour of President Mugabe and Tsvangirai her party had been robbed of representation among principals and also at the top level of the government.
