John Nkomo stage set for VP post

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By SARAH NCUBE

Published: October 21, 2009

ZIMBABWE – HARARE – It is now clear that the stage has been set for Zanu PF national Chairman John Landa Nkomo to ascend to the country’s Vice Presidency. The Zimbabwe Telegraph reports.

Zanu PF Secretary for Administration Didymus Mutasa has said the late VP Joseph Msika’s successor will be a cadre who has been in a senior Zanu PF position for a longer time implying that all the wannabes have to make way for Nkomo who has been in the “Presidium” for more than 10 years.

Mutasa also revealed that the recommendation by the Matabeleland province for the Politburo to nominate the next VP was yet to be received.

Mutasa said in the case of more than three candidates are nominated from Matabeleland provinces, the party would select the most senior person who has been in such a position for the longest period.

The disclosure of the criteria by Mutasa, pits Zanu-PF National Chairman John Landa Nkomo as the favourite to land the VP’s post from contenders like Senate Deputy president Naison Ndlovu, Bulawayo Resident Minister Cain Mathema and former Zipra Chief of Staff Retired Brigadier General Ambrose Mutinhiri, Obert Mpofu Minister of Mines as well as ambassodor to South Africa Simon Khaya Moyo.

“If there are more than three candidates for the VP’s post, then as a party we will say the most senior person will take over. It will depend but we will look at a cadre who is in a senior position for a longer period,” said Mutasa.

However, the most senior person in PF-Zapu is Ndlovu (Senate Deputy president) but has a lower position compared to Nkomo who has been in the Presidium for the past decade.

After the death of Vice President Joshua Nkomo in 1999, Msika who was the Zanu-PF national chairman, took over the position since he was PF-Zapu vice president.

On recommendations to the Politburo by Matabeleland provinces, Mutasa said the party headquarters was still to receive the documents.

“I have not heard from Matabeleland provinces. All I know is people announcing their interest,” he said.

Freedom fighters in Bulawayo have urged Zanu-PF to go to elections to choose the VP in case more than one person is nominated.

Bulawayo Province has already endorsed the Zanu-PF National chairman, Nkomo, as the candidate to fill the VP’s post.

Last week, Mutasa gave the three Matabeleland provinces a deadline, which lapsed on Wednesday, to nominate a candidate to succeed Msika.

The Politburo said the selection process should be “exhaustible, transparent and candid to enable a popular candidate to emerge.”

The decision was in line with an understanding following the Unity Accord on 22 December between PF-Zapu and Zanu-PF in 1987 that one of the two vice-presidents should come from the former PF-Zapu.
However, Politburo and Central Committee members from the three provinces met in Bulawayo on 9 October and agreed that all the party’s 10 provinces must select Msika’s successor.