Scoop!: Trudy Stevenson To Be Appointed Ambassador

Trudy Stevenson, widely viewed as one of the most courageous opposition figures (she was beaten badly by Tsvangirai youths at the time of the MDC split) has now been offered post of ambassador in Sudan

Harare, Zimbabwe, 24 August 2009

The Arthur Mutambara MDC has resolved to appoint Trudy Stevenson, a former MDC MP as ambassador, after their nominated choice, Siyabonga Ncube threw sand in the faces of his leadership by refusing to take up his ambassadorial appointment.

His refusal is tied to the infighting that is going on now within the MDC Mutambara, which is being fanned rigorously by Mirgan Tsvangirai, who has set his sights on winning back the disgruntled MPs and even the grassroots voters of Mutambara's party.

Trudy Stevenson walked away from the Morgan Tsvangirai faction of the MDC when the party split and was brutally assaulted by youths loyal to Morgan Tsvangirai at the time, who were accusing the breakaway faction of trying to dethrone Tsvangirai.

Stevenson will be posted to the volatile Sudan, where Ncube was supposed to have gone.

Not that this makes difference really.

As I told you more than a week ago, Mugabe announced through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which he still controls, that there is no money to post the ambassadors. The announcement said the ambassadors will certainly not be posted this year and that the issue will be looked at again early next year to see if enough money had been put together to fund these new posts.

It is a way of putting subtle pressure on Morgan Tsvangirai to get aid from Western nations friendly to his party.

Ambassadors are paid between US$11 000 and US$15 000 per month, as well as having grace and favour accommodation and expenses paid for by the government.

Meantime, no embassies have been closed as a result of the alleged lack of funds and this betrays the fact that this is simply a smokescreen.

Governors, by the way, are also supposed to have been sworn in this month, but with a few days left before the end of August, there is still no word on when this will happen.

MDC and Tsvangirai apologists, taking their cue from their leader, who has been thoroughly hoodwinked by Mugabe, were celebrating when it was announced by the MDC that Mugabe would be swearing in Governors at the beginning of August.

Whatever excuse Mugabe comes up with now will also be swallowed whole by these apologists.

Tsvangirai is now the biggest and most ardent practitioner of quiet diplomacy, defending Mugabe not only at international fora, but also even within his own party.

Still, to get back to to this issue at hand, Trudy Stevenson, although now going to be made ambassador, will also have to cool her heels here in Harare together with other MDC-appointed ambassadors, while Mugabe drags his feet.

That's yet another scoop for this blog!!!