News / National
MDC threatens action over continual Welshman Ncube snub
16 Jan 2013 at 04:14hrs | Views
THE MDC has threatened to take "appropriate action" after party leader, Welshman Ncube, was excluded from Monday's meeting of party leaders where President Robert Mugabe, Mutambara and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai discussed the stalled constitutional reform process.
In a statement Tuesday, the MDC said the exclusion of Ncube was a violation of the "SADC resolution (at a recent meeting in Mozambique) which clearly states that Ncube is one of the Principals".
"We know that this is a deliberate ploy to shut Ncube out as he is the only voice of legal reason and refuses to be arm twisted into ridiculous compromises around critical areas which include the devolution clause," the party said.
"He is the only leader who has stood firm against Zanu-PF's endless attempts to snatch control of the constitution making process and referendum, unlike some and for that he is being muzzled."
Mugabe and Tsvangirai were joined by Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara to discuss the stalled constitutional reform process as well as funding for the registration of voters ahead of elections this year.
Ncube and Mutambara are fighting for the leadership of the MDC with the deputy premier challenging his ouster as party president at the Supreme Court.
The regional SADC grouping decided at a meeting in Maputo last year that its mediation team would deal with Ncube but Mutambara retains his post in government and continues to attend meetings of the GPA leaders.
Said the MDC: "(Ncube has) been excluded from these meetings time and again and we see this as a gross violation of the SADC resolution which clearly states that Ncube is one of the Principals.
"We would like to state it on record that we will take appropriate action."
The party said the side-lining of its leader as down to "those whose new found comfort within the spaces created by the GPA, has compromised their desire for real change that will deliver a fair and just Zimbabwe, built on a constitution which gives real power to the people."
Meanwhile, the GPA leaders warned after Monday's meeting that they would take over the constitutional reform process if a Cabinet committee appointed to bridge differences between the parties failed to reach a deal.
Issues holding the process back include devolution, national prosecuting authority, executive authority as well as running mates for Presidential candidates.
The committee was told to present its report Wednesday with the leaders set to meet on Thursday to thrash the way forward.
"We emphasised that Wednesday is the Cabinet committee's deadline and beyond Wednesday their mandate is finished as the principals we will be taking over the process," Mutambara said.
"We have made a decision as principals that the Cabinet committee should complete its work by Wednesday and submit the report. We are not going to extend the deadline."
In a statement Tuesday, the MDC said the exclusion of Ncube was a violation of the "SADC resolution (at a recent meeting in Mozambique) which clearly states that Ncube is one of the Principals".
"We know that this is a deliberate ploy to shut Ncube out as he is the only voice of legal reason and refuses to be arm twisted into ridiculous compromises around critical areas which include the devolution clause," the party said.
"He is the only leader who has stood firm against Zanu-PF's endless attempts to snatch control of the constitution making process and referendum, unlike some and for that he is being muzzled."
Mugabe and Tsvangirai were joined by Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara to discuss the stalled constitutional reform process as well as funding for the registration of voters ahead of elections this year.
Ncube and Mutambara are fighting for the leadership of the MDC with the deputy premier challenging his ouster as party president at the Supreme Court.
The regional SADC grouping decided at a meeting in Maputo last year that its mediation team would deal with Ncube but Mutambara retains his post in government and continues to attend meetings of the GPA leaders.
Said the MDC: "(Ncube has) been excluded from these meetings time and again and we see this as a gross violation of the SADC resolution which clearly states that Ncube is one of the Principals.
"We would like to state it on record that we will take appropriate action."
The party said the side-lining of its leader as down to "those whose new found comfort within the spaces created by the GPA, has compromised their desire for real change that will deliver a fair and just Zimbabwe, built on a constitution which gives real power to the people."
Meanwhile, the GPA leaders warned after Monday's meeting that they would take over the constitutional reform process if a Cabinet committee appointed to bridge differences between the parties failed to reach a deal.
Issues holding the process back include devolution, national prosecuting authority, executive authority as well as running mates for Presidential candidates.
The committee was told to present its report Wednesday with the leaders set to meet on Thursday to thrash the way forward.
"We emphasised that Wednesday is the Cabinet committee's deadline and beyond Wednesday their mandate is finished as the principals we will be taking over the process," Mutambara said.
"We have made a decision as principals that the Cabinet committee should complete its work by Wednesday and submit the report. We are not going to extend the deadline."
Source - news
