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(TALKZIMBABWE) DPM Mutambara says Tsvangirai ill advised

DPM Mutambara says Tsvangirai ill advised
By: Ralph Mutema
Posted: Thursday, October 21, 2010 1:52 am

DEPUTY Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara yesterday slammed Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai for openly defying the country's laws by writing letters to Western countries trying to reverse reassignments of ambassadors made by President Mugabe.

The DPM told the House of Assembly that only the Supreme Court could determine the constitutionality of the re-assignment of ambassadors and re-appointment of provincial governors, not a minister of government.

He was responding to a question by Nyanga North representative Mr Douglas Mwonzora (MDC-T) concerning the constitutionality of President Mugabe’s re-assignments and re-appointments.

The DPM, who once said the prime minister was an "intellectual midget" said: “Matters of constitutionalism and constitutionality can only be determined by our courts.

“If there are reservations about those appointments, the Supreme Court will sit as a Constitutional Court and make a determination. No one has challenged and there has not been a determination.”

Last week Prime Minister Tsvangirai wrote letters to the United Nations and European countries claiming ambassadorial designations by the President were illegal.

DPM Mutambara said international law was clear on how governments related on such matters.

He said the Head of State and Government or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs oversaw such engagements.

“Such interaction is done by the Head of State and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. As ministers, we do not come to this House to say what you want to hear, we come here to discuss policy issues,” he said.

Earlier, he said differences were supposed to be resolved internally.

“If there are any disputes on those appointments, it is incumbent on Zimbabweans to sit down and resolve those issues as a nation.”

Labels: AMBASSADOR, ARTHUR MUTAMBARA, MDC, MORGAN TSVANGIRAI

posted by MrK @ 2:26 AM