Ncube to boycott EU trip over visa row

Industry and Trade Minister Welshman Ncube who is also Secretary General of a splinter MDC faction has threatened to pull out of a European re-engagement tour if Zanu PF ministers are not given travel visas.

The European Union has so far refused to give visas to Foreign Affairs Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi and Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa. Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has been on a world tour with three ministers, from each of Zanu-PF, the MDC and the Mutambara MDC.

This week however three more ministers, Chinamasa, Mumbengegwi and Finance Minister Tendai Biti were meant to join Tsvangirai in Brussels, Belgium for a meeting. Speaking to the German Press Agency (DPA) Ncube said ‘we are supposed to go tomorrow but it depends on whether the other members can get the visas.’

Ncube added that any barring of Chinamasa would mean, ‘no launch of reengagement (with the EU).

In a separate incident, Britain has refused to issue a visa for Mines Minister Obert Mpofu, also of Zanu-PF, who planned on attending a mining conference in the country this week. The cabinet sources say Mugabe dispatched Mutambara to try to intervene with the British and French ambassadors in Harare on the issue.

Tourism minister Walter Mzembi was barred from meeting US President Barack Obama last Friday much to the chagrin of his Zanu PF party. Mzembi is reported to have expressed shock at the decision because earlier he had met US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.