News / National
GNU Ambassadors' tenure expires
08 Sep 2013 at 06:31hrs | Views
The country's 47 ambassadors are likely to be recalled as their four-year tenure, which commenced at the inception of the inclusive Government, has expired. Foreign Affairs Permanent Secretary
Ambassador Joey Bimha confirmed the development but emphasised that the prerogative to recall or reappoint the ambassadors is reposed in the hands of President Mugabe.
"As it stands they signed contracts to serve for four years in 2009, but these contracts have now lapsed," he said.
"We are now waiting to see what the President decides to do because it is his prerogative to either appoint or recall the ambassadors.
"He may decide to give new contracts to the ambassadors or replace some of them with new envoys."
Ambassador Bimha said the appointment of ambassadors will take place after a new Cabinet has been announced.
"It is usually the norm that ambassadors are appointed after Cabinet has been put in place.
"The President is yet to appoint Cabinet so the process will only follow after Cabinet has been sworn in," he said.
He said the recalling of the envoys will take some time as there is a need to follow diplomatic channels.
"It will take some time because it is a process that cannot happen overnight.
"There are diplomatic formalities that need to be followed and the modalities of sorting the air tickets and the transfer of the ambassadors," he said.
Zimbabwe has 47 foreign missions and embassies across the world and five of them went to the MDC formations when the coalition government came into office.
Ambassadors that were appointed by the MDC-T are Hebson Makuvise (Germany), Jacqueline Zwambila (Australia), Mabel Ngulani (Nigeria) and Hilda Mafudze (Sudan).
Trudy Stevenson, who is stationed in Senegal, was appointed by the MDC led by Professor Welshman Ncube.
Ambassador Joey Bimha confirmed the development but emphasised that the prerogative to recall or reappoint the ambassadors is reposed in the hands of President Mugabe.
"As it stands they signed contracts to serve for four years in 2009, but these contracts have now lapsed," he said.
"We are now waiting to see what the President decides to do because it is his prerogative to either appoint or recall the ambassadors.
"He may decide to give new contracts to the ambassadors or replace some of them with new envoys."
Ambassador Bimha said the appointment of ambassadors will take place after a new Cabinet has been announced.
"It is usually the norm that ambassadors are appointed after Cabinet has been put in place.
"The President is yet to appoint Cabinet so the process will only follow after Cabinet has been sworn in," he said.
He said the recalling of the envoys will take some time as there is a need to follow diplomatic channels.
"It will take some time because it is a process that cannot happen overnight.
"There are diplomatic formalities that need to be followed and the modalities of sorting the air tickets and the transfer of the ambassadors," he said.
Zimbabwe has 47 foreign missions and embassies across the world and five of them went to the MDC formations when the coalition government came into office.
Ambassadors that were appointed by the MDC-T are Hebson Makuvise (Germany), Jacqueline Zwambila (Australia), Mabel Ngulani (Nigeria) and Hilda Mafudze (Sudan).
Trudy Stevenson, who is stationed in Senegal, was appointed by the MDC led by Professor Welshman Ncube.
Source - sundaymail
