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MDC-T yesterday said the unilateral re-assignment of Phelekezela Mphoko as the country’s ambassador to South Africa must be reversed because the other principals in the inclusive government were not consulted.
President Robert Mugabe last week reshuffled diplomats with Mphoko replacing Simon Khaya Moyo who now works full time at Zanu PF headquarters in Harare following his elevation to party chairman last year.
Mphoko was Zimbabwe’s top diplomat in Moscow, Russia.
But MDC-T spokesperson Nelson Chamisa said Mugabe’s unilateral appointment of ambassadors undermines the credibility and confidence of the unity government.
An agreement reached by the two MDC formations and Zanu PF in September says the allocation of diplomatic posts is to be decided by mutual consent as and when vacancies arise.
“It’s a grab and take all reminiscent of yester-year politics when Zanu PF was the only song in town,” said Chamisa. “It is only fair that power-sharing is not only on paper but in practice.”
Party insiders say Zanu PF was not comfortable with allowing the MDC-T to take control of the embassy in Pretoria, as it feared the party would take advantage of the posting and use its ambassador to create strong relations with the South African ruling party, the African National Congress (ANC).
ANC leader and South African president Jacob Zuma is the facilitator in the ongoing Zimbabwe power-sharing talks.
Chamisa accused Mugabe of preaching the gospel of a unity government while doing exactly the opposite.
He said Mugabe appointed judges and heads of parastatals without consulting his partners Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and his deputy Arthur Mutambara.
In May, MDC-T protested when Mugabe appointed a new Supreme Court judge and four High Court judges, without the knowledge of his partners in government.
Mugabe also promoted Retired Brigadier General George Chiweshe to the position of Judge President.
Chiweshe is the former chairperson of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) that kept Mugabe in power in 2008 by withholding election results for more than a month while massaging the figures.
Rita Makarau, who was Judge President, was promoted to the Supreme Court, while Nicholas Mathonsi, Andrew Mutema and Garainesu Mawadze, became judges in the High Court based in Bulawayo.
“They (Zanu PF) are talking inclusivity but walking exclusivity,” said Chamisa. “There is definitely no consultation or communication in the cockpit.”
Chamisa however could not say how his party would force Mugabe to reverse the appointment but insisted, “we have wailed and wailed before. We can’t be a wailing party. We have to put a stop to this.”
Sources said Tsvangirai was fuming that Mugabe had failed to consult him before the appointment, which shows wanton disregard of his position in the inclusive government.
“These issues could be raised at the Sadc (Southern African Development Community) summit,” said one source.
The summit will be held next month in Namibia.
Efforts to get a comment from MDC-M spokesperson Edwin Mushoriwa were fruitless.
Mugabe’s re-deployments saw ambassador Boniface Chidyausiku leaving his post as the country’s permanent representative to the UN in New York to take up a post in Harare while Chitsaka Chipaziwa replaces him.
James Manzou, who was in Angola, replaces Chipaziwa who was Zimbabwe’s permanent representative in Geneva while former ambassador to Australia Stephen Cletus Chiketa has been moved to Sweden to replace Mary Mubi, who was moved to Italy.
Mubi takes over from Margaret Muchada, who is still to get a post.
Early this year, five envoys from the two MDC formations were posted to different countries.
The diplomats are Hebson Makuvise who was posted to Germany, Hilda Suka-Mafudze (Sudan), Jacqueline Nomhla Zwambila (Australia), Mabed Khumbulani (Nigeria) (all from MDC-T) and MDC-M’s Trudy Stevenson, who took her post in Senegal.
BY CAIPHAS CHIMHETE
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