HARARE - Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara’s waning political career has suffered another dent after he was snubbed by the Constitution Select Committee (Copac).

Mutambara, despite claiming to head a faction of the MDC, will not be allowed near the podium where leaders of political parties will give speeches at next week’s Second All-Stakeholders’ conference.

Parliamentary and Constitutional Affairs minister Eric Matinenga confirmed Mutambara would not attend the conference as a principal of the coalition government.

“President Robert Mugabe will attend in his capacity as president and first secretary of Zanu PF, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai in his capacity as president of the MDC and Professor Welshman Ncube in his capacity as leader of the other MDC,” said Matinenga.

“They have been asked to address the conference but the discretion is entirely up to them,” he said.

Asked whether Mutambara will also address the conference Matinenga said: “He will not be addressing because you will remember there is a Sadc resolution (that he is not a principal) and we are still following that. All members of Cabinet have been invited and Mutambara is invited in his capacity as a member of the executive and not a principal.”

Mutambara was unreachable for comment.