it should work. I have mqttitude running
String Notify_Info (Notification) { mqtt=">[kalideux:/openhab/notification/info:state:*:default]" }
String Notify_Alert (Notification) { mqtt=">[kalideux:/openhab/notification/alert:state:*:default]" }
String Notify_Warn (Notification) { mqtt=">[kalideux:/openhab/notification/warn:state:*:default]" }
String Notify_Alarm (Notification) { mqtt=">[kalideux:/openhab/notification/alarm:state:*:default]" }
2015-04-28 22:51:10 [DEBUG] [.b.mqtt.internal.MqttActivator:34 ] - MQTT binding has been started.
2015-04-28 22:51:21 [DEBUG] [.io.transport.mqtt.MqttService:118 ] - Starting MQTT Service...
2015-04-28 22:51:23 [DEBUG] [.io.transport.mqtt.MqttService:123 ] - Starting MQTT Service...
2015-04-28 22:51:23 [INFO ] [.io.transport.mqtt.MqttService:108 ] - MQTT Service initialization completed.
2015-04-28 22:51:53 [INFO ] [.e.s.m.c.i.ModelRepositoryImpl:86 ] - Loading model 'mqtt.items'
2015-04-28 22:51:53 [DEBUG] [.e.s.m.i.i.GenericItemProvider:142 ] - Processing binding configs for items from model 'mqtt.items'
2015-04-28 22:51:53 [DEBUG] [b.mqtt.internal.MqttItemConfig:71 ] - Loaded MQTT config for item 'Notify_Info' : 0 subscribers, 1 publishers
2015-04-28 22:51:53 [DEBUG] [b.mqtt.internal.MqttItemConfig:71 ] - Loaded MQTT config for item 'Notify_Alert' : 0 subscribers, 1 publishers
2015-04-28 22:51:53 [DEBUG] [b.mqtt.internal.MqttItemConfig:71 ] - Loaded MQTT config for item 'Notify_Warn' : 0 subscribers, 1 publishers
2015-04-28 22:51:53 [DEBUG] [b.mqtt.internal.MqttItemConfig:71 ] - Loaded MQTT config for item 'Notify_Alarm' : 0 subscribers, 1 publishers