Mutambara appoints Mzilikazi Khumalo his deputy

PROFESSOR Arthur Mutambara-led MDC faction on Friday announced a new national executive with Deputy Speaker of Parliament Nomalanga Mzilikazi Khumalo appointed deputy party leader.

The party said Prof Mutambara remained the party's president until the legal dispute over control of the party, which is pending in the courts, was finalised. Prof Mutambara is still the Deputy Prime Minister in the inclusive government.

Faction chairman, Mr Jourbert Mudzumwe, said a decision had been made by the National Council to fill positions of members that the party had been "expelled" for being linked with Professor Welshman Ncube's faction and the "illegitimate" February 11 2011 meeting.

Ms Khumalo is the deputy president.

Maxwell Zimuto is the party's new secretary general while Ms Beauty Kerr Mthetwa is the treasurer.

Mr Robson Mashiri is the national organising secretary while Mr Morgan Changamire is the party's spokesperson.

Ms Tsitsi Dangarembga will be the director of elections.

Mr Mudzumwe claimed that sitting MPs were on their side.

He said: "MDC wishes to advise the public that the under listed Honourable members (of Parliament" wish to categorically reaffirm their allegiance to MDC-M party, on whose ticket they were elected into office; Nomalanga Khumalo, Maxwell Dube, Zinti Thandeko Mnkandla, Khmer Dube and Khumalo Dalimuzi. The remaining MPs will make their positions known soon, with regards the above."

Ms Khumalo immediately took a swipe at Prof Ncube, who expelled her from the party, much to the displeasure of fellow MPs. Ms Khumalo said she had joined the Mutambara faction because she had set her "priorities correctly" and that the party "was the only party which is going to move the country forward."

And she fired a broadside at Prof Ncube, commending the support she received from MPs who walked out on Prof Ncube on Thursday.

"I was elected and didn't come through the back door. We can't have a person who wasn't elected dismissing those who were elected," she said.

Contacted for comment, the Ncube faction dismissed manoeuvres by the Mutambara faction as a "nullity".

Mr Kurauone Chihwayi the faction's deputy spokesperson, said: "As far as we are concerned we have already dealt with Arthur Mutambara.

"We are not worried or shaken by political clowns masquerading as politicians. Our understanding is that we donated them to Zanu-PF."

He said "the Arthur Mutambara project" was a Zanu-PF project meant to sow confusion in the party.

He said the party was waiting for a formal communication from the MPs and Senators who had purportedly joined the Mutambara faction.

"As far as we are concerned they are still MDC members and it is not for Jourbert Mudzumwe to speak for them. They should make that announcement themselves," Chihwayi said.

MPs elected on the MDC ticket during the March 2008 harmonised elections also include Moses Mzila Ndlovu, Edward Mkhosi, Malandu Ncube, Norman Mpofu, Thandeko Mnkandla and Senators Addington Tapela and Robert Makhula.

The latest twist of events is likely to deepen confusion in the smaller MDC faction following the fallout between Prof Mutambara and Prof Ncube.

Last month, the Mutambara faction was barred from attending the anti-violence indaba that parties convened allowing for the interaction of the central committee of Zanu-PF and the national councils of the MDC formations.