Zanu-PF speak on John Nkomo replacement

PRESIDENT Mugabe may call for an emergency congress to elect a replacement for the late Vice President and national hero Dr Landa John Nkomo before the party's Sixth National People's Congress set for December next year.
 
The Zanu-PF presidium made up of the President, two Vice-Presidents and national chairperson, is elected through congress.

The party holds its national people's congress after every five years.

The last congress was held in December 2009 where President Mugabe was re-elected as First Secretary with his two Vice-Presidents Joice Mujuru and the late Cde Nkomo.

Simon Khaya Moyo was elected national chairperson at the same congress.

Zanu-PF spokesperson Rugare Gumbo said it was not yet clear which criteria the party would use in coming up with a replacement.

"That decision is usually a preserve of the congress where appointments are made," he said.

"On this one, we cannot tell yet what criteria will be used. It is the prerogative of the President and the Presidium to decide whether we wait for the congress.

"But in the absence of Congress, the President may call an emergency congress to decide but we don't know yet whether that will be the procedure."

Gumbo said the party's Politburo would be guided by the recommendations of the Presidium.

Zanu-PF secretary for administration Cde Didymus Mutasa said the revolutionary party would not rush to replace Cde Nkomo since he had just passed on.

"However, that is a matter that should be referred to the Politburo for discussion.

"The issue is not yet on the agenda of the Politburo. It couldn't be on the agenda so soon after Vice President Nkomo passed on. Besides, the congress is only two years away so we may wait," said Mutasa.

It is the first time that the Vice President's post has fallen vacant when the congress is not supposed to be held that year.

When Vice President Joshua Nkomo died in July 1999, the late Vice President Joseph Msika was elected at the party congress in December that same year.

After Msika died in August 2009, Nkomo succeeded him in December of the same year after being elected at the congress.

Following the signing of the Unity Accord between Zanu-PF and PF-Zapu in 1987, it was agreed that the other post of Vice President would be reserved senior former PF-Zapu members while the other post would be filled by a former Zanu-PF member.

While it has not been clarified whether the national chairman's post was also a former PF-Zapu preserve, it has been the trend over the years that it has been occupied by former PF-Zapu cadre.

When Joshua Nkomo was Vice President, Msika was Zanu-PF national chairperson.

When the late Vice-President Msika was elevated  John Nkomo succeeded him.

John Nkomo's elevation to the Vice- President's position saw Simon Khaya Moyo succeed him.

However, there were challenges during nominations ahead of the congress in 2009 when some senior Zanu-PF officials who were not former PF-Zapu argued that the chairman's post was not set aside for former PF-Zapu members.

The three Matabeleland provinces (Bulawayo, Matabeleland North and South) nominated Khaya Moyo.

The other four provinces nominated him as well but Manicaland and Mashonaland Central initially nominated Mutasa but the latter then settled for Khaya Moyo.

Masvingo province first went for Politburo member Kembo Mohadi who is a former PF-Zapu member but the Home Affairs Co-Minister advised the province to withdraw the nomination and instead throw their weight behind Khaya Moyo who had been nominated by his home province Matabeleland South.