via Mugabe spares MDC envoys in diplomatic reshuffle | SW Radio Africa by Mthulisi Mathuthu November 29, 2013
Two MDC envoys have been spared in a forthcoming diplomatic reshuffle which will see President Robert Mugabe recalling some ambassadors.
Ambassadors Hilda Mafudze and Trudy Stevenson will remain in Khartoum, Sudan and Dakar, Senegal respectively, a Chronicle report said Friday.
Mafudze is from the MDC-T while Stevenson is from the Welshman Ncube led faction.
According to reports three other MDC ambassadors, Acqueline Zwambila (Australia) Hebson Makuvise (Germany) and Mabhedi Ngulane (Nigeria), have not been spared. Two years ago Zwambila was summoned back to Harare over claims that she had stripped in front of embassy staff.
Mafudze and Stevenson’s survival will have raised curiosity, considering that Mugabe snubbed the MDC in his September cabinet announcement.
At the time Mugabe said he could not have included opposition people in his cabinet because the MDC did not recognize his re-election after the July 31st polls.
Mugabe also added that to be considered for a cabinet post they ‘must belong to Zanu PF because that is the wish of the people’.
Harare-based journalist and analyst Itai Dzamara told SW Radio Africa that by retaining the two MDC envoys Mugabe could be playing ‘a divide and rule card’.
According to Dzamara ZANU PF is currently involved in a sweeping drive to coerce as many strategically situated people as possible, as a way to destroy opposition politics. Dzamara said many people stood to be ‘wooed because of the economic hardships in the country’.
The impending reshuffle follows revelations by foreign affairs secretary Joey Bimha that the government will be recalling 15 ambassadors in December.
Bihma also told the parliamentary portfolio committee on foreign affairs a fortnight ago that some envoys will be redeployed. According to reports Bimha also told the committee that his ministry was ‘facing financial challenges’ but will be able to finance the country’s 45 foreign missions.
COMMENTS
Interesting. We now have MDC Ambassadors defending a ZANU(PF) government. If the MDC had any self-respect they would have withdrawn their own Ambassadors.
Pride aside, I don’t agree with you Dale.If these guys are good let them perform their duties,after all its not personal duties but national.They are serving you and me irregardless of our political affiliation.It was a noble and mature decision made by our Head of State.
zulu is right
An Ambassador represents the country not the government. If the DA’s Tony Leon, a whiteman, could ably represent South Africa in Agentina all those years despite his anti-ANC views, what is difficult with the MDC doing the same?
An ambassador represents the country not the party. The other thing is that there is a thin line that devides gvt and the country. That is the reason why some people are having the country (screwed) thinking that they are screwing the gvt. Tony Leon campaigns against ANC not the economy. That’s the reason why their economy thrives better than Zimbabwe even though their leadership is corrupt.
Thanks for enlightening us Africanson. Humorous as well.
The Zim problem is spending too much time in political bickering than economic development.wasted education chabuda hapana
Watch out for that white guy who is mugabe ambassador in japan and zanu money laundered. Dig deep