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MDC to amend the Global Political Agreement that created the inclusive Government.
MDC secretary-general Ms Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga wrote to President Zuma last month saying Article 20 of the GPA should be amended.
“We write to formally request that the GPA be amended in Article 20.1.6(4) so that the relevant clause should read: There should be two Deputy Prime Ministers one from Zanu-PF shall be occupied by Arthur Mutambara and the other by the MDC-T,” the party said on February 13.
MDC claims Prof Mutambara no longer represents its interests in the inclusive Government and they have tried to recall him following Prof Ncube’s ascension to the party helm.
However, in a telephone interview last week while she was in Paris, France talks facilitator and President Zuma’s International Relations Advisor, Mrs Lindiwe Zulu, said the letter was inappropriate and not in the spirit of the GPA.
Mrs Zulu said, “I can confirm that we received a letter from the MDC calling for the amendment but our position is that the amendment of the GPA is not necessary and it is not something that we are seeking at the moment.
“We are not specifically looking into that letter at the moment and as it stands the amendment of the GPA can only be done after discussions are held with the other parties in the inclusive Government and at the moment the letter has to be shelved as they are pressing issues we dealing with.”
Mrs Zulu said any amendment to the GPA should be done with the consent of all three parties in the inclusive government.
“As mediators we cannot really talk about this because we have a roadmap that is outlined in the current GPA and that we seek to follow.
“Our mandate at the moment is to deal with this roadmap and ensure that the GPA flows smoothly until elections are held.”
MDC deputy spokesperson Mr Kuraoune Chihwayi said they were still awaiting a response from the South African facilitation team.
“MDC is no longer pursuing the DPM position and we have written to President Mugabe and Mr (Morgan) Tsvangirai, and Sadc expressing our desire to have the GPA amended.
“As it stands they have not yet responded to us in regards to the matter,” he said.
Mrs Zulu said the facilitation team would soon return to Zimbabwe for “a series of talks” on implementation of the GPA and crafting a roadmap for elections.
“We will be back soon to assist on the issues affecting the GPA and draft a roadmap for elections.
“President Mugabe crafted the roadmap so we will be talking to all the three parties to ensure that this roadmap is adhered to,” she said.