Zimbabwe PM urges UN, EU to reject envoys appointed by President Mugabe

Zimbabwe PM urges UN, EU to reject envoys appointed by President Mugabe

2010-10-13 00:59:47 GMT+7 (ICT)

HARARE, ZIMBABWE (BNO NEWS) -- Zimbabwe Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai on Monday wrote to the leaders of the United Nations and the European Union requesting to not recognize the envoys unilaterally appointed by President Robert Mugabe, local media reported on Tuesday.

Tsvangirai formally informed UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, president of the European Union Commission José Manuel Barroso, Prime Minister of Sweden Fredrik Reinfeldt, South Africa President Jacob Zuma and Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi over the situation that threatens the continuity of the coalition government.

The PM urged the international leaders not to recognize six ambassadors that were unilaterally appointed by Mugabe. He also informed that his offices will not recognize five judges appointed by the Zimbabwe president on May 20.

The announcement stemmed from the re-appointment of ten provincial governors by Mugabe without consulting Tsvangirai. The Prime Minister also urged the president to return the country to constitutional rule. According to Zimbabwean laws, Mugabe has to consult the Prime Minister's office before any constitutional and statutory appointments.

"These appointments are therefore unconstitutional, null and void. Neither I, nor any member of my party, including ministers, MPs and councilors, recognize the former appointees as the legitimate holders of the office of governor; nor do we recognize that they can legitimately exercise any authority on behalf of government or the state," Tsvangirai's letter read.

The ambassadors that Tsvangirai demanded to be ignored are Phelekezela Mphoko (South Africa), James Manzou (UN Geneva), Mary Mubaiwa (Italy), Steven Chiketa (Sweden), Chitsaka Chipaziwa (UN, New York) and Margaret Muchada (European communities, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Belgium).

Last week, Tsvangirai described President Mugabe’s unilateral appointment of individuals to key posts in the government as "rank madness and utterly nonsensical."

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