Ncube, Mutambara squabble over SADC mtg

Joubert Mudzumwe, chairman of the faction loyal to Mutambara, told the press after a National Council meeting on Monday that the party had endorsed a decision to fire Ncube and recall his two negotiators from the GPA talks.

Mudzumwe said Ncube should not attend the SADC summit.

“Ncube’s claim to the party presidency is being challenged in the courts by bonafide members of the party,” he said. “Therefore there is no basis for the SADC facilitation team and SADC to recognise Ncube as president of the MDC. It would therefore be prudent for all concerned not to pre-empt the outcome of the Zimbabwean courts as doing so undermines and circumvents Zimbabwean laws.”

Nhlanhla Dube, spokesman for Ncube’s MDC said Mutambara was trying to claw back political power he wilfully surrendered at the congress on January 8 through a press conference.

“They want to go to SADC and say we have a dysfunctional government and we must have elections now. Mutambara is fighting in Zanu (PF)’s corner. We are aware he has been paid by Zanu (PF) to cause disharmony,” Dube said.

Dube said it was preposterous for Mutambara to attempt to recall the two MDC negotiators or to claim to fire Ncube. President Jacob Zuma, has recognised Ncube, as the new MDC president and has included his name as a principal on the Election Roadmap document that will be tabled in Windhoek tomorrow. Zumas daughter is married to Ncubes son.

Mutambara was embarrassed at the recent SADC Troika summit after Zuma asked him and Ncube to stand with their respective negotiating teams. Ncube is said to have stood with Moses Mzila-Ndlovu and Priscilla Misihairabwi Mushonga while a lone Mutambara reportedly told Zuma “Yours truly is here as the signatory of the global political agreement.”

Dube said Mutambara was now a Zanu (PF) Deputy Prime Minister.

“We understand why he is doing that,” Dube said. “So we are not surprised. Mutambara has been supping with the devil and he forgets that to sup with the devil you need a nine foot pole and the small fork that he is using is going to get him eaten by the devil. He can continue with this lunacy. He is writing his political death and he is never going to recover from

this.”