Smaller MDC Faction Woes Worsen As Mutambara Vows To Remain In Govt

“I have no intention whatsoever to leave the position of Deputy Prime Minister in the inclusive government.I will not abdicate from my national responsibilities in order to satisfy narrow party-political aspirations. In our national constitution , there is no facility for a political party to recall a sitting Deputy Prime Minister,” Mutambara said.

“Consequently,until the High Court makes its ruling in this matter, I, Arthur Guseni Oliver Mutambara, the Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Zimbabwe, and one of the three signatories of the Global Political Agreement 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).”

Ncube took over the presidency of the MDC at the January 8-9 congress in Harare. He has already made changes of the party’s representatives in government in which he said he will become the new Deputy Prime Minister.

Ncube has said no-one has the right to refuse the party to make changes to positions they hold in government.

Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, leader of the main MDC faction, last year reshuffled his cabinet ministers despite President Robert Mugabe at first refusing to acccept the changes.

Mugabe after arriving from his annual leave told the media that Mutambara will remain as the Deputy Prime Minister unless he resigns.

MDC which was formed in 1999 by former trade union members split in 2005.