Mutambara attacks Zuma for violating Zim constitution

DEPUTY Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara has launched a scathing attack on President Jacob Zuma, accusing him of violating Zimbabwe's constitution after he was blocked from meeting the South African leader.

Mutambara was on Wednesday barred from meeting Zuma who was in Harare for an update on the implementation of the Global Political Agreement (GPA) ahead of the regional SADC meeting in Maputo, Mozambique.

Zuma met separately with President Robert Mugabe, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and Industry and Trade minister Welshman Ncube who replaced Mutambara as leader of their MDC party, a move the deputy premier is challenging in the Supreme Court.

Mutambara however, travelled to Maputo for the SADC summit where he attacked Zuma during a meeting of the regional body's Troika on peace and security.

"It is true that I complained bitterly about Mr Zuma's conduct," Mutambara told reporters after the meeting.

"He came to Harare and unilater­ally decided that Prof Ncube is the MDC principal and that the MDC congress was valid and yet the matter is still pending before the Supreme Court which is the final legal authority.

"Anyone who undermines the Supreme Court by making a determination on a pending issue is violating Zimbabwe's laws and Constitution.

"I am the one who appended my signature to the GPA and it is high time we separated things that are legal from those that are political.

"I told the Troika that Mr Zuma should change his behaviour or recuse himself from the process and everyone acknowledged my point."

Meanwhile, Zanu-PF negotiator and Justice Minister, Patrick Chinamasa, said the Troika had urged parties to the coalition government to work towards full implementation of the GPA.

"The Troika exhorted us to con­tinue working towards the full imple­mentation of the GPA and every­thing else went on well," Chinamasa said.