‘Moyo not senior enough for VP’

By Dumisani Sibanda

As the race in Zanu PF for the vice-presidency (VP) hots up, politburo member Naison Khutshwekaya Ndlovu has dared one of the aspirants to the position, party national chairperson Simon Khaya Moyo, to stand up and declare he is the most senior former Zapu official in the ruling party.

Speaking to journalists on the sidelines of a breakfast business meeting in Bulawayo  on Wednesday, Ndlovu said the VP position, which fell vacant following the death of John Nkomo last year, should be filled  using the 1987 Unity Accord guidelines.

Zanu PF is scheduled to have an elective congress at the end of the year and one of the positions in the offing is that of the second vice- presidency.

Moyo, Ndlovu, Home Affairs minister Kembo Mohadi, who is also the party’s deputy secretary for security, former Zipra commanders Ambrose Mutinhiri and Phekezela Mphoko have been linked to the race for the post.

“The position of president and national chairperson are up for grabs, but not that of VP that you are talking about,” said Ndlovu.  “The VP position in question is reserved for the most senior former Zapu member in Zanu PF. I challenge Moyo or anyone else to stand up and say he/she is the most senior Zapu official.  I don’t want to say they are amafikizolo  (Johnny come lately), but just that they are coming up, but not the most senior.”

Asked why he allowed John Nkomo to be chosen VP ahead of him at the party’s last congress, Ndlovu said: “Last time l let go because at least John Nkomo was the second most senior Zapu official after me.

“This time around we will go back to the stand that the most senior Zapu member takes the VP  position.”

The veteran politician, who made history by becoming the first black mayor for Bulawayo, went on to trace his political history to the 1950s.

“When did you know Moyo as a Zapu member?” he asked.  “I am asking you. Tell me.”

In the run up to the 2005 Zanu PF  congress, Ndlovu, who ironically also comes from Matabeleland South like Moyo, failed to get backing from his district, Insiza, to be nominated into the central committee.

Andrew Langa, far much junior to Ndlovu, instead won the bid  ahead of the veteran politician, but handed the position to Ndlovu “in deference to Ndlovu’s seniority”.

Langa is the Zanu PF chairperson for Matabeleland South and has thrown his weight behind Moyo in the race for the VP.

After the signing of the Unity Accord in 1987 , Zapu president Joshua Nkomo became VP while his deputy, Joseph Msika, assumed the position of national chairperson.

When Joshua Nkomo passed away  in 1999, Msika took over as VP, with John Nkomo taking over as national chairpersin and when Msika died in 2009,   John Nkomo took over as VP.

Some members of Zanu PF have been arguing that the precedent set should be followed, which would mean  Moyo would be the next VP from the Zapu side.

But others, including Zanu PF secretary for economic affairs and Transport and Infrastructural Development minister Obert Mpofu, have said the process of choosing a VP should be “democratised”.

When John Nkomo was nominated to run for VP , Mpofu presented a big challenge to him as some party supporters were rooting for him and the ex-Zipra combatant and former Zapu official  was undone by the fact that he crossed the floor to Zanu PF before the Unity Accord.

Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association chairperson, Jabulani Sibanda, former Zapu revolutionary council member and politburo member, Angeline Masuku, and the ruling party’s secretary for youth affairs, Absalom Sikhosana, have been linked to the race for the national chairperson post with the party’s secretary for administration  Didymus  Mutasa openly declaring his interest in the position.

Efforts to get a comment from Moyo  were fruitless as he could not be reached on his mobile phone at the time of going to press. The Zimbabwe Mail