via Mugabe under pressure to elevate SK Moyo December 8, 2013 Zimbabwe Standard
President Robert Mugabe is under pressure to use this week’s Zanu PF 14th national people’s conference to elevate party national chairman, Simon Khaya-Moyo to vice-President, it has emerged. Khaya-Moyo’s promotion to replace Vice-President John Nkomo, who died in January this year, would under normal circumstances require a congress in terms of Article 5 of the Zanu PF Constitution.
But sources said Mugabe was nevertheless empowered by the same constitution to appoint anyone to any position.
A politburo member said there was now a push by a section in the party for Mugabe to use his powers to fill a number of vacant politburo positions, including that of VP.
“Their argument is that elevating Khaya-Moyo and filling vacant politburo positions will strengthen the party ahead of next year’s conference. But others have a feeling that such a push has a succession agenda,” he said.
Senior Zanu PF officials, among them central committee and politburo members, who used to be Zapu before the 1987 Unity Accord, recently met in Gweru and cleared the way for Khaya-Moyo to assume the post of second VP without the need to go for a special congress.
The former Zapu officials also settled for former Matabeleland South governor, Angeline Masuku to replace Khaya-Moyo.
The position of second VP is traditionally reserved for former Zapu members in accordance with the 1987 Unity Accord between the party and Zanu PF.
Vacant politburo positions include that of secretary for finance, previously held by the late Harare governor, David Karimanzira who died in 2011.
Several other politburo positions including the ones held by the late Higher Education minister, Stan Mudenge who died last year and that of Kumbirai Kangai who died a few months ago, are also vacant.
Zanu PF spokesperson, Rugare Gumbo yesterday said it was Mugabe’s prerogative to appoint a VP and politburo members.
“He has the prerogative to do that as party President. So it is really up to him,” he said.
But the politburo source said it was unlikely that Mugabe would agree to the proposal. He said national secretary for administration, Didymus Mutasa was not interested in the national chairmanship position, but wanted to become VP in the event of the incumbent, Joice Mujuru eventually taking over from Mugabe.
But another senior Zanu PF official said while Mutasa was openly loyal to a faction linked to Mujuru which swept most of the recent provincial elections; there was a push by a group from Manicaland that it was time for the “Godfather” of the province to also aim for the highest office.
“There is a belief by some that since Mutasa is the Minister of Presidential Affairs and has also been given the state security portfolio, he is being groomed to take over from Mugabe,” said the official.
He said Mugabe was always full of surprises and at Thursday’s politburo meeting questioned the calibre of some of the recently elected provincial chairpersons.
The official said no one in the meeting from the different factions in the party dared to answer Mugabe when he raised the issue.
He said anyone who eventually succeeds Mugabe, has to have the blessing of the 89-year-old leader. The official said some powerful business people in Zimbabwe, including bankers, mostly educated at Kutama College have teamed up with politburo and cabinet ministers to form the “Friends of Mugabe” which aims to ensure that the Zanu PF leader finishes his term of office. Some members of the new group, including the likes of Local Government minister Ignatious Chombo, also belong to the “Mugabe Five Year Team” which has similar objectives.
The “Mugabe Five Year Team” has the likes of Zimbabwe Defence Forces commander, General Constantine Chiwenga and Justice minister, Emmerson Mnangagwa who together with Mujuru are viewed as the leading contenders in the race to succeed Mugabe.
The two factions linked to Mugabe do not want a leadership shake-up at next year’s congress as they are said to prefer the status quo to remain, with the 89-year-old leader remaining at the helm.
NO FIREWORKS EXPECTED AT ZANU PF CONFERENCE
Zanu PF officials said no fireworks were expected at this week’s Chinhoyi ZanuPF conference which comes at a time when the party is heavily divided after last month’s provincial elections seen as the precursor to the battle to succeed Mugabe.
Gumbo said preparations were going smoothly with everything expected to be in place in time for the official opening of the conference slated for later this week.
The conference is expected to strategise on how the country can ensure food security, social service, poverty eradication, infrastructure development, beneficiation and value addition in line with the recently launched Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation (ZimAsset).
COMMENTS
Too much bark no bite.
Mutasa will not, or never be President. His health is failing, he only comes from Manicaland. The best he can be is Miniskirt Affairs to the Office of HE.
Diedmass Shock absorber, Taskwork
“The official said some powerful business people in Zimbabwe, including bankers, mostly educated at Kutama College have teamed up with politburo and cabinet ministers to form the “Friends of Mugabe” …which powerful business people kusara kwaStrive? That’s a misnomer, there are corrupt business people. Any powerful person wouldn’t support the old man at all
It raises some questions that the unity accord of 1987 was considered as of paramount importance between ZAPU and ZANU but now where is this dragging behind comes from , second vice president , this is an important post especially to former ZAPU members , this was the agreement which brought peace and togetherness , this is the same accord which brought back the former ZIPRA forces called the dissidents by then to the assembly , this is the agreement which represented the strength and contributions of Joshua Nkomo to the chimurenga war , therefore ZANU PF must see the importance of this post which must be always awarded to a Ndebele speaking person , it might be Khaya Moyo or anybody as long as that person is a former ZAPU member .
@Kalusha , my brother i am sure the above article have answered your Friday last week’s question of doing away with the second vice president as a wast of time , it is important to have the second vice president as it was agreed (unity accord of 1987)
@Khaya’bonina
That was a Gukurahundi agreement, noy a UNITY AGREEMENT – face the facts.
You are distortuing facts here, at the time of assembly points there were no dissidents; you are writing lies; stop misleading people. Dissidents only arose after the various armies had been integrated into the official national army; and this was partly a result of frustrations in the army as many better trained ZIPRAs were overlooked for senior positions, in preference to ZANLA cadres.
There is no provision that the second vice President should be Ndebele and that gukurawundi agreement of 1987 does not say so; it only refers to ex PF ZAPU officials and NOT all PF ZAPU office bearers were Ndebele.
Yours is a typical Zimbabwean mentality of obsessing about the Ndebele people at every turn. Ambrose Mutinhiri was PF ZAPU, was he Ndebele? Josia Chinamano was PF ZAPU Vice President, was he Ndebele? and Joseph Msika? Even Joshua Nkom was Khalanga strictly speaking, he was not Ndebele.
Khaya Moyo should never be elevated to the Vice Presidency. We want these ex ZAPU people to suffer, so they can see the light and leave the gukurawundi party.
They are all there for their own pockets; positions and all and not for the people they claim to represent. When people complain about lack of development, they instead choose to insult the people for being lazy, instead of standing for them in the ruling party.
They are the only leaders in ZANU PF who insult their people – the Manicaland and Masvingo leaders in ZANU PF never insult their own people!!
@Mthwakazi , you might be correct , Matebeland as whole has never seen development , this second vice president post was an honour to to Joshua Nkomo unfortunately he departed early , John Nkomo failed to stand for us using this position , i don’t see Khaya Moyo bringing fruits out of this position . These former ZAPU members are like goats, horses , sheeps and donkeys in the animal farm all saying yes to napoleon . Bulawayo the big city in their own province had been ruined , what did they do about that ???? , ZBC at Montrose was closed down what did they do?, ZUPCO bus terminus was destroyed to ashes what did they do , miliions of rands generated at Beitbridge border gate have never been used to develop the roads at our provinces what have they done about it , we have got teachers coming from far other provinces while qualified teachers in Matebeland are not employed , what are they doing about this ??? , Mthwakazi thank you former ZAPU members have failed , Ndebeles doesnt have representatives.
@ Mthwakazi , thanks for correcting me , no need to be emotionally like the Mthwakazies wandering in the streets of Joburg dreaming of taking over from Mugabe , take it easy why do you have to spear me , simply debate with your facts thats all .
@Mthwakazi, look here Mthwakazi , i might be wrong to use the word assembly taking you so backwards , but the fact is that the dessidents were awarded their own assembly as an amnesty to stop fighting and come forward and hand over their guns , how did the dissidents stop fighting Mr Mthwakazi ?? , they had their own assembly which indeed brought them out of the bushes , what was that according to you ?? .
Please don’t mix up the two , the main assembly which took place soon after the chimurenga war which was a collective call to all different forces which were fighting against the regime government and the call which was awarded to the dissidents as an amnesty , that is what i have refered to as an assembly which paraded the dissidents , please don’t mix the two .Is they anything like the Gugurahundu assembly , infact what caused the gugurahundu in matabeland , Mr Mthwakazi better have your facts.
You are ignorant and you dont come across as well schooled. That is all I can say. Chimurenga does not exist in our book in Mthwakazi; that is ZANU PF language. In Mthwakazi we know of uMzabalazo!
@Mthwakazi , Respond and teach me more , its me and you on this article .
There is really nothing to debate because we largely agree. My only gripe with you is your obsession with the NDEBELE. Not everyone in Mthwakazi is Ndebele, why do you keep referring to the Ndebele? Again, when it comes to the term Mthwakazi, please stop conflating issues.
Just like the Samaita people in Manicland, Mthwakazi is our traditional name as a people, it predates the Rhodesian colonial bounderies. It has nothing to do with those who are trying to seek separation.
If you have a problem with them, please address them on their own merit as individuals and leave the rest of peaceful Mthwakazi alone!!
how about Francis Nhema as VP
Thank you Mthwakazi , you are off the hook pertaining the assembly issue , go back to your history and find facts before you ague .
@Khaya’bonina
Why cant you write and argue in a lucid, coherent and clear fashion so we can all understand what you are saying?
To tell you the truth, I simply cant understand what you are saying above – what is this “assembly issue” that you are talking about? What facts? What history are you talking about?
And what does “AGUE” mean? Do you mean to say “ARGUE”?
Zimbabwe is fine with only one VP. It’s time to amend that party constitution and make it fit for purpose. It serves no national purpose to pretend the elevation of one SK Moyo to VP is anything but political patronage. Time to prioritize national projects and shun kleptokracy. The so called Unity accord is barely relevant in today’s context. Zim is one country that warrants government driven unity underpinned by full infrastructural development in all its 4 corners. That’s the Zim people want and politicians should be held to account for failing to live up to that promise and pursuing the course of national plunder