By Helen Kadirire
Former Zanu PF Harare province youths chairperson and leader of the Chipangano vigilante group Jim Kunaka has rejoined the governing party, apparently after having been frustrated by the slow pace of movement in the Zimbabwe People First (ZPF) led by Joice Mujuru.
Kunaka and Kudzai Saruwaka, who both had a fleeting romance with the ZPF, cited lack of progress and a dearth of internal democracy in the fledgling party as the reasons why they have decided to jump ship.
In a letter they co-authored, the two politicians claim that ZPF lacks direction and has lost its initial vision.
They also say the party does not respect its members by affording them the chance to practise a democratic process of electing its leadership from the grassroots level.
“Top leadership is in hibernation and had declined to practise professionalism as they opted to use the grapevine as their reliable source of information. Up to now, the party has failed to even produce membership cards, believing that time is on their side,” reads part of the letter.
Kunaka, told the Daily News that his agenda, when he left Zanu PF in 2014, was not to just form another opposition party without direction but to seek a better Zimbabwe.
He said the leadership at ZPF was sabotaging itself by refusing to listen to divergent views of people, particularly at the grassroots level.
“I want to be able to influence those in leadership with positive and developmental views and not to just oppose for no reason. I encountered so many barriers to tell the president of ZPF my views that it became frustrating to continue with a party that seems to not have foresight,” Kunaka said.
On the other hand, Saruwaka said rejoining Zanu PF is a personal option.
He said the message that he was pushing in Harare South on behalf of ZPF was going to waste as the leadership was failing to implement the ideas.
The former Mavambo/Kusile/Dawn youth leader said opposition political parties in Zimbabwe were failing the people because they lacked a clear vision.
“Maybe if I take my ideas to Zanu PF something tangible will come out of it. At the end of the day, all we want is for people to live comfortably without suffering. At ZPF, we would say one thing and senior party leaders would later change. People want consistency,” Saruwaka said.
The two youth leaders claim that since they informed ZPF supporters in their respective Mbare and Harare South constituencies that they are leaving, many have also decided to follow suit and join Zanu PF. Daily News
