Published by the government of Zimbabwe
Takunda Maodza
24 August 2009
Harare — MDC House of Assembly representative for Insiza Mr Siyabonga Ncube has turned down an ambassadorial appointment that would have created a constituency for the party's deputy president Mr Gibson Sibanda.
The development has mirrored further discord and "indiscipline" in the party led by Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara.
Sources say the party had nominated the legislator to represent Zimbabwe in Sudan, but he declined, leaving Mr Sibanda in a quandary.
The party is now looking for a replacement.
MDC secretary-general Professor Welshman Ncube last Friday confirmed the latest development.
He said the legislator had been nominated to represent Zimbabwe in Senegal and not Sudan as was being alleged by the sources.
"That is not true. There is no ambassadorial post to Sudan. It is Senegal, and not Sudan. The party had decided that first priority should be given to the Insiza MP. He declined and we are in the process of consulting," he said.
While sources say the decision to nominate Mr Ncube was motivated by the need to create a parliamentary constituency for Mr Sibanda, former Harare North legislator Mrs Trudy Stevenson was offering herself for the diplomatic post.
Mr Sibanda was sworn-in as a Minister of State for National Healing and Reconciliation in February this year.
Since then, he has failed to secure a seat in Parliament.
According to Section 31(e) of the Zimbabwe Constitution, all members of Cabinet must be parliamentarians either by election or appointment.
A person appointed to Cabinet, but who does not sit in Parliament must secure a seat within three months of being sworn-in after or cease to be a minister.
Since the expiry of the three-month window period recently, Mr Sibanda has been working as a Special Advisor on National Healing and Reconcilia-tion.
DPM Mutambara was quoted recently as saying the Sibanda issue was being handled in conjunction with his fellow principals -- President Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai.
"We are in control of the situation. His operations and work are completely unaffected by the current circumstances," he was quoted as saying.
MDC formations have identified five nominees to take up ambassadorial posts as Government steps up the implementation of the Global Political Agreement.
Four are from MDC-T while one will come from the MDC.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs began a two-month diplomatic training course for the prospective diplomats two weeks ago.
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