South African President Jacob Zuma, the Sadc- appointed mediator in the Zimbabwe crisis, will attempt to solve the imbalance among inclusive government principals over the refusal by President Robert Mugabe to recognise Welshman Ncube as the leader of MDC.
The development comes as it becomes evident that the principals will play a more crucial role in solving outstanding issues in the GPA and the grey areas in the election roadmap.
Zuma’s international relations advisor and spokesperson of the South African team Lindiwe Zulu said in an interview yesterday, Zuma would meet Zimbabwean principals after a meeting between the facilitation team and negotiators on November 23, in an attempt to solve outstanding issues and finalise the election roadmap.
Asked who Zuma would meet between Ncube, who is recognised by Sadc, and Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara, who is recognised by President Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, Zulu said Zuma would try to bring closure to the issue when principals meet.
“President Zuma will discuss the issue with principals and hopefully bring finality to the matter,” she said.
Ncube deposed Mutambara from the helm of MDC at the beginning of the year, but Mutambara refused to relinquish his position both in government and the party.
Mutambara wrote to Zuma telling him the congress which brought Ncube to power was being challenged in court, but MDC secretary-general Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga responded and informed Zuma that Mutambara had participated in the congress, presenting a DVD of the Deputy Premier addressing the congress and also attached a High Court order barring Mutambara from purporting to be the leader of the party.
Mushonga yesterday said her party, which believes President Mugabe’s continued recognition of Mutambara as a principal was a violation of the GPA, had not made any other submissions other than what they gave Zuma in response to the DPM’s letter.
