The statement came after Mutamara failed to heed the SADC’s call for him to step down as a principal in the Government of National Unity. SADC, meeting in Maputo recently, said it would no longer recognise Mutambara as a principal, but the Deputy Prime Minister is refusing to budge.
Mutambara, the erstwhile leader of the smaller MDC formation now led by Welshman Ncube, was ousted at a congress held in Bulawayo last year.
Mutambara is challenging his removal from the party at the Supreme Court.
Observers maintain a principal should be the head of one of the political parties that signed the 2008 Global Political Agreement that led to the formation of the GNU in early 2009.
In an interview, Biti said Mutambara was worse than Mugabe because he was seeking to hold onto the position of party leader even though he did not contest at the 2011 congress.
“Welshman Ncube was elected by a congress that Arthur Mutambara did not contest at. Mutambara did not even challenge Welshman Ncube and I saw a video where Mutambara was congratulating Welshman Ncube.
“I am very concerned about that issue as an individual; because this generation can’t do things that Zanu PF has been doing. Even Robert Mugabe strives to have legitimacy. Now, you can’t call yourself a President of a party even when you have not participated in elections to choose that person. That doesn’t happen,” said Biti.
Mutambara insists that he should remain a principal, blaming the SADC point man and South African President, Jacob Zuma, for practising nepotism in calling for his removal from his current position.
Zuma’s daughter is married to Welshman Ncube’s son.
Biti rubbished Mutambara’s claim, arguing that the Deputy Prime Minister was ejected by his own party, not Zuma.
“Zuma was not at the MDC congress in January of last year. He wasn’t there. He wasn’t the one who chose Welshman Ncube. So that is absolute rubbish,” said Biti.
Repeated attempts to get Mutambara’s reaction to Biti’s comments were fruitless as his number was unreachable.
Post published in: News