ZimPF-Mujuru to hold elective congress in two months

Zimbabwe People First (ZimPF) has announced plans to go for an elective convention in two months' time in a move meant to curb further rifts in the embattled fledgling opposition party.

ZimPF is still smarting from a massive exodus of senior officials reacting to the move by party leader, Joice Mujuru, to fire seven senior members, including founding members, Rugare Gumbo and Didymus Mutasa.

Failure to organise an elective convention has been one of the emotive issues that caused irreconcilable differences in the newly-formed party.

"The Nec (national executive council) also resolved that the party should hold its inaugural elective convention within two months and should desist from participating in unnecessary distractions such as by-elections," party spokesperson and suspected CIO agent, Jealousy Mawarire, said in a statement following a Nec meeting held at Mujuru's house on Thursday.

The party said some officials were clandestinely working against coalition talks with other opposition parties because of their strong Zanu-PF links.

Mawarire said Mujuru affirmed her commitment to the envisaged coalition.

"She emphasised that coalition talks should not be hampered by considerations about positions, but should be driven by the desire to get rid of Zanu-PF and free our people," he said, adding that Mujuru was not after a positions in the coalition. Mawarire said Mujuru had the support of provinces in her decision to fire party elders, whom she described as elements determined to stall progress.

The party said it had accepted the decision by other members, who resigned, saying their positions already had been filled.

Mawarire said Farai Kuvheya replaced Luckson Kandemiri, as the interim national youth chairperson, while Gift Nyandoro took over from Kudakwashe Bhasikiti, who was head of the elections committee, and Wilbert Mubaiwa replaced Munacho Mutezo as head of finance and resource mobilisation. Chrispen Karanda, a former lecturer at Wits University in South Africa, replaced Sylvester Nguni as head of administration.