Chitsaka Chipaziwa was recently appointed as the United Nations Permanent Representative for the Republic of Zimbabwe. He was put in place by President Robert Mugabe. MDC-T Prime Minister Tsvangirai attempted to sabotage the appointment to no avail.
Originally uploaded by Pan-African News Wire File Photos
Herald Reporter
THE United Nations on Thursday dismissed MDC-T leader Mr Morgan Tsvangirai’s plea for the world body to ignore the assignment of Ambassador Chitsaka Chipaziwa to head Zimbabwe’s Permanent Mission in New York.
A spokesperson for Secretary-General Mr Ban Ki-moon said such ambassadorial changes had to be communicated through the Foreign Affairs Ministry and as far as they were concerned, Ambassador Chipaziwa was Zimbabwe’s legitimate representative.
Observers have also pointed out that Mr Tsvangirai does not appear to understand the prerogative for assigning and appointing ambassadors reposes in President Mugabe as the Head of State and Government.
UN deputy spokesman Mr Farhan Haq brushed aside the significance of Mr Tsvangirai’s letter, saying Ambassador Chipaziwa was properly accredited.
“The appointment of a Permanent Representative is an internal matter for a member state — which is to be decided upon in accordance with the provisions of its own domestic law.
“Ambassador Chipaziwa was properly accredited as Permanent Representative of the Republic of Zimbabwe to the United Nations Headquarters in New York on 28 June 2010.
“We will be bound by the letter of his accreditation until advised otherwise by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,” he said.
Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi heads the Foreign Affairs brief.
Mr Haq said Mr Ban wanted the three parties in the inclusive Government to implement the Global Political Agreement.
“The Secretary-General encourages the guarantors of the agreement, the Southern African Development Community and the African Union, to continue to accompany the implementation pro-cess and help build trust between the Zimbabwean parties,” Mr Haq said.
President Mugabe on Thursday said Mr Tsvangirai’s letters to the UN and other countries on the issue of ambassadors were politicking and “absolutely nonsensical”, pointing out that all due processes had been followed.
In May this year, President Mugabe reassigned several serving ambassadors in line with the Constitution.
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