PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe is to hold private talks with Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai over the Deputy Prime Minister’s post which Arthur Mutambara is occupying in defiance of his party.
Mugabe met Ncube for two hours after a tension-filled cabinet session on Tuesday to discuss the crisis, but made no firm undertakings, the MDC said.
“They agreed that there were no legal implications in swearing in Professor Ncube; that there was no High Court interdict stopping President Mugabe from swearing in Ncube; and that there is no High Court interdict stopping Ncube from being sworn in,” said Kurauone Chihwayi, the party’s deputy spokesman.
“He only said he was going to consult Tsvangirai before swearing in Professor Ncube.”
The MDC elected Ncube, currently the Industry and International Trade Minister, as its new leader in January after Mutambara opted out of the race.
The party decided after the congress to reassign the robotics professor to the post of Regional Integration Minister, but Mutambara rejected these attempts on Monday.
Mutambara insists that as a signatory to a power sharing agreement he signed with Mugabe and Tsvangirai in September 2008, his position is guaranteed.
“I would never have taken the oath to serve this country in the office of Deputy Prime Minister if I had not committed myself to serve this country faithfully for the entire duration of the inclusive government,” he said on Monday.
But the MDC is determined to move Mutambara over, even as he declared he did not recognise Ncube’s leadership.
An extra-ordinary national council meeting has been called for Thursday at which Mutambara is likely to be expelled from the party. Should Mugabe and Tsvangirai reach agreement that Mutambara’s position is untenable, he may be pushed to resign or be fired.