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(TALZIMBABWE) Tsvangirai threatens to recall ambassadors

Tsvangirai threatens to recall ambassadors
By: Floyd Nkomo
Posted: Monday, October 11, 2010 1:22 am

PRIME Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has threatened to recall all ambassadors appointed by President Mugabe saying the appointments were unconstitutional. Speaking to the press last Thursday after an MDC-T National Executive Meeting, the prime minister said, his party’s national executive had taken a decision “not to recognise any of the appointments which the President has made illegally and unconstitutionally over the past 18 months”.

Appointments, ironically, made in the last 18 months include five ambassadors from the two MDC formations.

Mr Tsvangirai however, wants ambassadors reassigned recently who are not in the MDC parties not to be recognised.

These are: Phelekezela Mphoko (South Africa), James Manzou (UN Geneva), Mary Mubaiwa (Italy), Steven Chiketa (Sweden), Chitsaka Chipaziwa (UN, New York) and Margaret Muchada (European communities, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Belgium).

“As executive Prime Minister of the Republic of Zimbabwe, I will today be advising the countries to whom these ambassadors have been posted that these appointments are illegal and therefore null and void," said Mr Tsvangirai.

“I will be advising the Chief Justice of the improper appointment of the judges concerned, and that they are therefore null and void.

“I will be advising the President of the Senate of the improper appointment of governors, and that they should therefore not be considered members of the Senate, which is therefore now unconstitutional.

“I will be advising the joint ministers of Home Affairs and the National Security Council of the illegal appointment of the Police Service Commission."

It is not clear whether Mr Tsvangirai has told the ambassadors from his formation to return home. Attempts to reach the MDC-T information department proved fruitless and emails sent on Friday by the Zimbabwe Guardian were not responded to.

Jameson Timba, the Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office yesterday said: “We will on Monday (today) give a detailed report on what has been done with regard to the concerns raised by the Prime Minister on Thursday.”

The PM’s spokesperson Luke Tamborinyoka added that the process of informing the international community on the contentious issue “was work in progress”.

The other appointments that the prime minister said were unconstitutional include: the Governor of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, Dr Gideon Gono, the appointment of the Attorney-General, Mr Johannes Tomana, the appointment of five judges, the appointment of six ambassadors, the appointment of the Police Service Commission and the reappointment of the 10 provincial governors.

He also alleged that President Mugabe was refusing to swear in his party’s financier and treasurer-general Roy Bennett, saying “he was acquitted by the High Court on May 10 2010”.

Mr Bennett was not acquitted but discharged, and the State appealed.

President Mugabe has indicated that Mr Bennett will not be sworn in until he is cleared of plotting to overthrow the government of Zimbabwe.

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Labels: AMBASSADOR, MDC, MORGAN TSVANGIRAI

posted by MrK @ 1:10 AM