Ncube, who took over from deposed former leader Arthur Mutambara, has been attending SADC summits since taking over the reigns, but has so far failed to convince President Robert Mugabe to drop Mutambara as deputy prime minister and one of the GPA principals.
Mutambara has tried to stop Ncube and his negotiators from attending the SADC meetings, even reportedly going to the extent of writing to South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma, the SADC facilitator on Zimbabwe, to try and stop his rival from attending the summits.
Mutambara allegedly vainly tried to “smuggle in” Joubert Mudzumwe and Tsitsi Dangarembga to replace Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga and Moses Mzila-Ndlovu as MDC-N negotiators at the meeting here last weekend, as the fight extends to the regional bloc’s doorstep.
However, SADC executive secretary, Tomaz Salomao, said recently that the organisation would not raise its hand alongside any of the two feuding parties.
“It is not an issue of the SADC or its summit to deal with who becomes leader of what political party that is in the GNU,” said Salomao.
“This is an internal issue that should be resolved by the parties involved and within the Zimbabwean government and then after that, get communicated to the SADC. I also understand that the issue is also in the Zimbabwean courts, so we don’t want to involve ourselves with such internal political issues.”
Mutambara did not see the SADC summit to its last day, as he left before the regional leaders could discuss Zimbabwe – ostensibly for the burial of Edgar Tekere in Harare. Ncube was at the meeting, but he kept a very low profile, shying away from the media during and after the summit.
Post published in: Zimbabwe News