Disgruntled former Zanu PF members ‘relaunch’ Zanu

By The Standard | Jan. 5, 2018 | 2 Min read

DISGRUNTLED former Zanu PF members have relaunched the Zimbabwe African National Union (Zanu) to “reconnect the electorate to the liberation war ethos” and challenge the ruling Zanu PF in general elections scheduled for later this year.

By NQOBANI NDLOVU

Zanu’s interim executive accused Zanu PF of selling out on the Chimurenga/Umvukela war ideals, hence, the birth of Zanu.

“Zanu has finally reconnected for genuine fulfilment of the nation’s shared desires as had been more fully expressed and confirmed by the citizenry’s support and participation in the Chimurenga/Umvukela wars, but sadly long sold out by the Zanu PF political-mafia cabal,” the party’s interim secretary-general, Chamunorwa Damiso said.

“Zanu is diametrically different from and is opposed to, while also having been formed because of Zanu PF.” Other members of the executive are Chawaona Kanoti (president), Victoria Dhlamini and Peter Muteya (vice-presidents), Charity Shonhiwa (head of the women’s wing), Josephat Zimuto (political commissar), and Vero Kapu (youth chairperson).

Kanoti, a former State security agent and Zanu PF member, is a lawyer and chairperson of the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Electoral Justice, a trust currently working to ensure all victims of the 2000 to 2013 political violence are compensated, while the perpetrators are tried for their crimes.

Damiso claimed their other members were from Zanu PF, Zapu and the opposition MDCs.

“Zanu PF became an essentially inward-looking and self-serving party benefiting the leader, former President Robert Mugabe, and the clique surrounding him in a patronage system that robbed all and sundry of the nation’s vast God-given resources, ultimately subjecting this nation to untold suffering often surpassing that which was experienced during Ian Smith’s reign,” he said.