The President and the Prime Minister's spokespersons briefed completely contradictory stories on the status of Arthur Mutambara today in two different newspapers.

In The Herald President Mugabe's spokesman George Charamba is quoted saying nothing has changed and that Mutambara remains a Principal and Deputy Prime Minister, despite the SADC resolution explicitly removing him and naming Welshman Ncube at the Principal. See the story here.

Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's spokesman Luke Tamborinyoka on the other hand is quoted in Newsday saying that the Prime Minister and President Mugabe had agreed that Arthur Mutambara was no longer a principal as he has no party and that Welshman Ncube was going to be invited to the Principals' meetings hanceforth. See story here.

The contradiction exposes the confusion in Zanu (PF) where a group of securocrats is making its own decisions and passing them off as decisions by the President. Or it could well be that the President makes decisions, and because of old age, forgets them, and briefs opposite to different groups.

It will be interesting and significant by end of the day to find out whether it is the President who backs down or whether Charamba and the securocrats carry the day. Chances are the former, as the buck always stops with him