Mugabe spares MDC envoys in diplomatic reshuffle

By Mthulisi Mathuthu

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, Jacqueline 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. SW Radio Africa