The Sunday News
Harare Bureau
THE Zanu-PF Masvingo province has declared its support for the elevation of party national chairman, Ambassador Simon Khaya Moyo to be the second Vice-President and the secretary for administration, Cde Didymus Mutasa, to succeed the former, a move which is likely to spark a fierce clash with Matabeleland provinces which have for long enjoyed filling the top posts.
Cde Mutasa, who once threw his hat into the ring for the chairmanship in 2009, hails from Manicaland and was rejected after an intense lobbying by Matabeleland provinces to have a former senior PF-Zapu cadre to fill the post in line with the 22 December 1987 Unity Accord.
In protest, former Zanu-PF Manicaland chairman, Cde Basil Nyabadza, resigned.
But Masvingo province is not relenting as it came out guns blazing declaring that Cde Mutasa must be elevated alongside Cde Khaya Moyo. Cde Mutasa has already expressed his ambitions to be part of the Zanu- PF Presidium. Other provinces could not be drawn to reveal their Presidium line-up saying they were yet to decide.
The provinces are expected to nominate the top leadership at the Zanu-PF elective congress in December.
Zanu-PF Masvingo provincial chairperson Retired Brigadier-General Killian Gwanetsa defended the move to nominate Cde Mutasa as national chairman saying the province chose a “winning team”.
“As a province we are strongly behind the leadership of President Mugabe along with his second in command, Amai (Joice) Mujuru. For the post of second Vice-President we prefer to have our national chairman taking over while Cde Mutasa should be elevated to the national chairmanship.”
Observers, however, warned the decision by the Masvingo provincial leadership would stir heated debate within the party. History shows that since 1987, the Zanu-PF second Vice-President, national chairman and Minister of Home Affairs were picked from former senior PF-Zapu cadres.
The nomination of Cde Mutasa is likely to torch a storm because it has defied tradition dating back to the days of the late Vice-President Joshua Nkomo who served with the late Cde Joseph Msika as the national party chairman.
When Cde Nkomo died in 1999, Cde Msika was elevated to the Vice-Presidency while the late Cde John Landa Nkomo was elevated to the chairmanship. Following Cde Msika’s death, Cde Nkomo became the Vice-President while Cde Khaya Moyo became the chairman.
However, following the death of Cde Nkomo in January last year, Cde Khaya Moyo has been touted as a favourite to take over. Cde Khaya Moyo is said to have been a close aide to the late Cde Joshua Nkomo and did not occupy a senior post within PF-Zapu. This has prompted Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to South Africa Cde Phelekezela Mphoko, Home Affairs Minister Kembo Mohadi and Retired Brigadier Ambrose Mutinhiri to show interest in becoming the VP.
