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Prof Ncube, who was recently elected MDC president at the party’s congress last month, has declared that he would take over as the party’s principal and deputy prime minister in the inclusive Government.
He has since announced that Prof Mutambara would be redeployed to the portfolio of Regional Integration and International Co-operation Minister.
Regional Integration and International Co-ope-ration Minister Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga would take over as Industry and Commerce minister.
Addressing journalists at his Munhumutapa Offices in Harare yesterday, DPM Mutambara said the Constitution of Zimbabwe does not have a provision for a political party to recall a sitting deputy prime minister.
“I have no intention whatsoever to leave the position of the Deputy Prime Minister in the inc-lusive Government.
“I will not abdicate from my national responsibilities in order to satisfy narrow party-political aspirations. In our constitution, there is no faci-lity for a political party to recall a sitting DPM.
“In the GPA, while there is a provision to re-shuffle ministers after consultation among the three principals, there is no provision to remove a GPA principal.
“Neither is there an instrument to remove a sitting DPM, more so when he or she is also a principal.”
The robotics professor indicated that the office of the DPM was a creature of the Constitution of Zimbabwe — Amendment Number 19 — and is an office of State.
“As an office of State, it exists to serve the peo-ple of Zimbabwe regardless of race, tribe, sex, political party affiliation or religion. The office of the DPM does not serve one political party.”
He added: “Arthur Mutambara, the Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Zimbabwe and Arthur Mutambara, the president of a political party in Zimbabwe are two different persons.
“The former is governed by the national interests and collective non-partisan aspirations, while the latter is a functionary of political party idiosyncrasies.”
DPM Mutambara said he was conscious of this distinction when he took the decision not to contest for the position of party president at the pa-rty’s congress.
“The idea was to elect a new leadership which will concentrate on the building of the party and prepare for the next elections and not change leadership in order to bicker over current offices of State.
“I would never have taken oath to serve this country in the office of Deputy Prime Minister if I had not committed myself to serve this country faithfully for the entire duration of the inclusive Government,” he said.
Prof Ncube’s elevation to the party presidency has also been challenged by some party mem-bers disgruntled by Prof Mutambara’s demo- tion.
Said DPM Mutambara: “There are specific national projects, programmes and co-ordinative activities that I am spearheading in my capacity as DPM, and it will be detrimental to the national interest for me to abandon them midstream. I would be remiss in the execution of my national obligation and duties, if I do so.”
He said no political party could recall him from Parliament.
“In terms of Parliament, according to the Constitution of Zimbabwe as changed by Amendment Number 19 Act, I am an ex-officio Member of Parliament which means that I am a member of that august House by virtue of my being DPM.
“I am not a Constituency-based MP elected on a party ticket.
“Consequently, no political party can recall me from Parliament. I will cease to be an MP the moment I stop being DPM, and not the reverse. That is the law.”
He also scoffed at attempts by Prof Ncube to re-deploy him.
“This “re-deployment” has been put in the public domain by some members of my party led by Professor Welshman Ncube.
“The public is aware that the legality of a meeting of my party held on 8 and 9 January 2011 has been put in issue.
“Bona-fide members of our party have asked the High Court of Zimbabwe to determine whether or not the meeting of 8 and 9 January 2011 was legally valid.
“This means the High Court is now seized with the issue of whether or not Professor Welshman Ncube is validly in office as president of my party,” he said.
“Consequently, until the High Court makes its ruling in this matter, I, Arthur Guseni Oliver Mutambara, the DPM of the Republic of Zimbabwe, and one of the three signatories (principals) to the GPA which led to the formation of the inclusive Government, will not recognise Professor Welshman Ncube as the president of the party I belong to, the MDC, the party that signed the GPA with MDC-T and Zanu-PF.”
DPM Mutambara said there was neither moral nor political foundation to his re-deployment.
He said he was not recognising the elevation of Prof Ncube to the MDC presidency citing a boycott of congress by “critical senior party leaders like the national chairperson, women’s wing chairperson, youth wing chairperson, a significant number of council members and a large number of congress delegates”.
DPM Mutambara said a petition of genuine grievances was also presented to the party by disgruntled leaders.
He said he has never spoken since congress.
“I was silent until today (yesterday) because I was hoping that those claiming party leadership would be creative and magnanimous, and follow through and heal the party as I had suggested. The opposite has happened,” he said.
DPM Mutambara accused the new leadership of victimising aggrieved MDC members by seizing party assets from them and removing them from the Constitution-making process.
DPM Mutambara said the MDC was also disintegrating with “groups leaving to join other parties”.
He explained that he was out of Zimbabwe and could not set the record straight in time.
Professor Ncube’s phone went unanswered yesterday.
His deputy, Mr Edwin Mushoriwa said the party’s standing committee would soon be meeting to determine the way forward.
“The position of the party is very clear, Prof Mutambara said at the congress he will remain a cadre of the party and literally handed over power to Prof Ncube.
“We are hopeful that the President of the country would understand the proper interpretation of the GPA and implement our recommendations,” he said.
Online Reporter