OUTGOING MDC President Professor Arthur Mutambara has insisted he may yet become head of state even though he is stepping down as leader of his party.

Addressing a Diaspora conference in the resort town of Victoria Falls, Mutambara left delegates bemused when he insisted he was not going anywhere.

“I took a plunge and see where that took me; I became the president of MDC. After that I became the Deputy Prime Minister,” he said.

“Muchashama ndava Head of State because I am not going anywhere.’’

The Deputy Prime Minister however, said he was not going back on his pledge to quit the leadership of the MDC.

“I am stepping down as the leader of my party MDC. I am not running- it’s done.

“We are going for a congress in January and I have said that I am not contesting for any party post but I will still be a member of the party,’’ he said.

Mutambara offered to step aside in order to avoid a potentially divisive leadership contest at a party’s congress  set for Harare early next year.

It has also since emerged that a majority of the party’s provincial structures are backing Secretary General, Professor Welshman Ncube, to take over as leader of the party.

Ncube was not eligible to stand again for his current post, having served the mandatory two terms allowed under the party’s constitution.

He is being backed by Matabeleland North, Bulawayo, Matabeleland South, Harare, Midlands North and South and Mashonaland East provinces to replace Mutambara.

Mutambara was invited to lead MDC in February 2006 following the split of MDC in 2005.

He did not contest the presidential elections in 2008 preferring, instead, to throw his weight behind Mavambo Kusile leader Dr Simba Makoni.