'Zimbabwe president can emerge from any tribe,' claims Mphoko

A president of Zimbabwe can emerge from any tribe in the country as leadership is a negotiated deal between Zanu and PF Zapu, Acting President Phelekezela Mphoko has said.

Addressing hundreds of Zanu-PF supporters during a rally at Chikombedzi Primary School in Chiredzi on Wednesday, Mphoko said the country's leadership was a product of the Unity

Accord signed between the late Vice President Joshua Nkomo and President Mugabe. He said Zimbabwe's leadership was not determined on tribal grounds but is based on whether one is from Zipra or Zanla and is able to serve their country as president.

"You should leave that bad thinking. If one still thinks that one needs to be a Zezuru or Ndebele in order to be a leader then that person isn't a Zimbabwean. Sikombela and Gonakudzingwa are a testimony of how Zanu and Zapu worked together as President Mugabe played a prominent role at Sikombela in Midlands while Dr Joshua Nkomo was at Gonakudzingwa with many cadres from Zanu. Enos Nkala was also with President Mugabe," he said.

"The late Dr Nkomo and President Mugabe used to share the chairing of cabinet meetings as the two leaders.'' The Acting President said Zimbabwe has no room for tribalistic tendencies which he said are always divisive.

He said although people believe that the Unity Accord was first signed in 1987, it was actually signed in 1972 when the late nationalists Herbert Chitepo, representing Zanu and Jason Ziyaphapha Moyo representing PF Zapu agreed to work together.He said the 1987 signing of the Unity Accord only emphasised the existing unity between Zanu and PF Zapu. Mphoko called on people to be united regardless of their tribe or where they came from as unity was the key to the country's development.

He said he supported calls for the rehabilitation of the Chiredzi-Sango border post road, triggering a round of ululation from villagers who came in numbers to the rally. "Never listen to people who say leadership belongs to a certain tribe. If President Robert Mugabe decides to leave today, members in the party will choose someone basing on whether he is from Zapu of Zanu.

"That arrangement has been there and that's what we agreed at the Unity Accord,'' said Acting President Mphoko. He said the Zapu that is led by Dumiso Dabengwa is not the one that united with Zanu PF and appealed to people not to be confused by the opposition party. He said President Mugabe and other nationalists, both living and departed, suffered for the country as they went through a tortuous journey in detention and on the front.

He urged Zimbabweans to appreciate the sacrifices made by those cadres to liberate the country. Mphoko had earlier on toured the ruins of Gonakudzingwa detention camp.