Muchinguri speaks on VP post

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By GETRUDE GUMEDE

Published: November 11, 2009

ZIMBABWE – BULAWAYO – Zanu-PF Secretary for Women’s Affairs Oppah Muchinguri said on Wednesday that her national executive will not take sides in the selection of candidates for the post of Vice-President, but its subordinate structures in Matabeleland can do so.

Muchinguri said there was nothing wrong with the league’s provincial structures in Matabeleland endorsing who ever they wanted for the post of Vice-President, because the Zanu-PF Politburo directed the party in the region to select candidates to fill the post, which has been vacant since the death of founding nationalist, Joseph Msika in August.

The national executive, she said, will go by whatever decision made by the party.

“If anything is pronounced by the Politburo, we go by that because that is the position of the party. As for our structures in Matabeleland, there is nothing wrong with them taking their positions. They are allowed to talk because after all, the Politburo directed them to decide whom they want to be Vice-President. So at national level, we have no position. We are part of the party and we have a constitution. The process is conducted in terms of our policy and procedures. We speak with one voice.”

She said when the party’s leadership meets at Politburo level to discuss such matters; they are guided by the Unity Accord and the party constitution.

To that effect, she said, the party’s National Secretary for Administration, Didymus Mutasa has issued directives to provinces outlining what must be done in the selection of the Vice-President and how that must be done.

On Tuesday, the Women’s League in Bulawayo endorsed John Nkomo for the Vice-President’s post. Eve Bitu, the chairperson of the provincial executive in Bulawayo said Nkomo deserved the post, considering his seniority and experience in both the party and government.

This followed the endorsement Nkomo received from Matabeleland North Women’s League two weeks ago.

The party’s main wing in Bulawayo as well as the national executive of the Youth League has also backed Nkomo.

Last week, former PF-Zapu leaders met in Bulawayo and picked Nkomo to succeed Cde Msika and Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to South Africa, Simon Khaya-Moyo to take over as National Chairman.
Others who were in the running for the Vice-President’s job are Obert Mpofu, Cain Mathema, Naison Khutshwekhaya Ndlovu and Retired Brigadier-General, Ambrose Mutinhiri.

However, the Acting National Commissar, Richard Ndlovu, said Mpofu does not qualify because by the time the Unity Accord was signed in December 1987, he (Mpofu) was already in Zanu-PF, yet the post of Vice-President is reserved for a cadre who was in PF-Zapu when the agreement was signed.

Mpofu refused to comment on whether he still had an interest in the post in view of latest developments.

Mathema said: “Let us wait for an official statement from the party and see what happens.”

Meanwhile, Muchinguri said new members who were elected into positions at the Women’s League’s September congress would soon undergo induction training.

“We have started working with the new members. We have held meetings as the top six of the Women’s League and as the national executive. We have drawn up our plan of action for the next five years, to be reviewed yearly. There is also need for training for new members who were not in leadership positions before the congress. The training will be done soon and is meant to ensure that new members are familiar with their departments and what is expected of them.”

The top six in the Women’s League are the national secretary, her deputy and secretaries for the commissariat, administration, external affairs and security.-The Zimbabwe Telegraph