FORMER Vice-President and opposition Zimbabwe People First (ZimPF) leader Joice Mujuru is set to convene an emergency meeting of her fledgling party’s senior interim leadership in a bid to find solutions to growing internal discohesion, NewsDay has learnt.
BY RICHARD CHIDZA
ZimPF has in the past few days been rocked by vicious internal squabbles amid reports Mujuru had been confronted by rowdy youths who demanded that she shows more respect to former Presidential Affairs minister Didymus Mutasa.
A source close to the goings on at the party told NewsDay yesterday, Mujuru was planning a crisis meeting.
“She has been left with no choice but to make a decision to bring all leaders together and find lasting solutions before this problem develops into a cancer. You see the problem with politics in Zimbabwe is that our leaders one way or the other end up being hijacked by corrupt opportunists who care very little about the welfare of the general population. The likes of Sylvester Nguni still act as though they are still ministers in Mujuru’s office,” the insider said on condition they are not identified.
He added: “It is good that the leadership seems to be listening now, but rather unfortunate that this is coming well after the party’s image had been damaged by the demonstration at Mujuru’s house. We need that meeting like yesterday”.
Nguni is special assistant to Mujuru in the interim ZimPF set-up and yesterday continuously dropped calls when NewsDay tried to seek comment from him.
But party spokesperson Rugare Gumbo feigned ignorance even of the troubles mounting within his party.
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“I have been in Gweru, but of course it is natural that the party tries to find solutions if there are problems. I have not been fully briefed and would need to come to Harare before I can comment. I am not sure about what really is going on. The only information is what is being reported in the media,” he said.
Disgruntled youths besieged Mujuru’s Harare home on Friday demanding an audience with the former VP. Mujuru has reportedly agreed to a no-holds-barred internal indaba to find “lasting solutions”.
ZimPF immediately claimed that Friday’s demonstration was sponsored by the ruling Zanu PF and suspected State security agents. This, however, was dismissed by Zanu PF spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo.
Gumbo at the time was quoted as saying: “It’s not a big issue, just a mere misunderstanding among cadres, and as you know, when many people meet for a common cause, they will have different views and approaches, but we will not be moved, but what is critical is the resolve to fight with the people through ZimPF,” he said.
Nguni along with other ex-Zanu PF ministers Kudakwashe Bhasikiti, Gumbo and Bright Matonga stand accused of creating a “wall around” Mujuru with the purpose of corruptly benefitting from the party.
