Mutambara fires Ncube

Prof Ncube was elected party president at a contentious congress earlier this year, but his elevation has been challenged at the High Court.
As such, Prof Mutambara has said until the High Court decides otherwise, he is still party leader and has the right to fire Prof Ncube from MDC.

Prof Mutambara, who is Deputy Prime Minister in the inclusive Government, yesterday told the media in Harare that he had sacked Prof Ncube.
However, Prof Ncube’s backers, who want him to become DPM, immediately hit back saying when they first heard about the Press conference they thought it was an “April Fool’s Day joke”.
Mr Edwin Mushoriwa, who was elected vice president at the disputed congress, yesterday said there was no precedence in global political history of a “card-carrying party member like Mutambara” having powers to fire the president.

“In our view, Mr Mutambara is showing a desperate action to try and remain in the position of DPM. This is a publicity stunt even when that publicity damages his reputation.
“Prof Mutambara knows that the party’s national council is meeting (Thursday). So he wants to pre-empt the outcome because the council is likely to fire him. Actually, it is the joke of the year. I thought it was the first of April.”

A national executive, which is behind Prof Ncube, is Thursday expected to meet and the likely outcome is that they will declare Prof Mutambara himself has been sacked from the party.
Prof Mutambara said his decision to expel Prof Ncube was driven by his desire to save the party from further disintegration after engagement efforts had failed.
He said: “I have received communication directly from Professor Ncube and his colleagues, and also read through the media that Prof Ncube is going ahead with a . . . national council meeting tomorrow using the structure which is being challenged in the courts.

“That creates problems and challenges because that understanding leading Prof Ncube to organise a meeting tomorrow is in variation to the interpretation I have given you as the legitimate leader of the party.
“Consequently, I have to take a very drastic decision to salvage the image of the party and to salvage the integrity of our movement.
“This decision is to immediately expel from our party Prof Welshman Ncube because we feel that if we continue on this road of disagreements and discord, we will damage the image of our party.
“This decision of expulsion will be ratified by our national council as provided for by our constitution.
“We will communicate to him through party channels, but he is no longer a member of our party as we speak and he cannot speak or orga-nise on behalf of the party.
“Welshman Ncube stands expelled from this party.”

Prof Mutambara said all party structures prior to the congress remained legitimate until a new congress was held or the courts ruled in Prof Ncube’s favour.
“What that means is that I am the legitimate president of the MDC that signed the GPA with MDC-T and Zanu-PF until such time that a legitimate congress is conducted and a new leadership is put in place or the High Court rules in favour of Prof Ncube,” he said.
Prof Mutambara said it was unfortunate that the party was disintegrating under the so-called new leadership as confirmed by the recent defection of senior party officials to Zanu-PF in Chitungwiza.
President Mugabe has said he cannot fire Prof Mutambara as DPM and can only appoint a new vice premier should the incumbent resign.
Legal experts have also pointed out that Prof Mutambara, as a principal who is signatory to the GPA that created the inclusive Government cannot be fired by Prof Ncube and will leave that negotiated office through resignation.