Mujuru top ally quits over character assassination

A top official in the Joice Mujuru led National People Party has resigned from the party citing character assassination by the leader.

"I pray that this note finds you in good health! It is with a heavy heart that I have to direct this letter to your office.It is indeed a tragedy and most unfortunate, Madam President, that certain elements, within the NPP establishment, for some reasons best known to themselves, elected to mount a sustained defamation and vilification tirade calculated to impugn and tarnish both my reputation and human dignity," wrote Cuthbert Ncube to Mujuru..

"I have endured a barrage of invectives and character assassination, in the main, from people who owe allegiance to one of the Vice Presidents, namely, Dr Samuel Sipepa Nkomo. I have to put it to you quite categorically, that immediately after the election outcome in respect of the VP post, upon your pronouncement that Dr Samuel Sipepa Nkomo  had prevailed upon, albeit the fact that he failed to garner votes from the six provinces, as our constitution expressly stipulates, given Bulawayo was not contested. I took it upon myself to congratulate Dr. Sipepa and hence conceded defeat irrespective of the fact that our Constitution, which is the r political bible of the NPP had not been followed to the letter and the spirit."

He said it appears to him that all the people who are said to have supported him during the campaign were subjected to strenuous harassment.

"This could be attested by the manner in which the Bulawayo PEC and part of the NEC was dissolved and nullified immediately after the elections on grounds that they belong to the Cuthbert Ncube Faction who is of a Shona Tribe," wrote Ncube.

"With the greatest of respect to the office of your two Vice Presidents and the National Chairman who handled the issue of Bulawayo I need to need to state that what they did smacks of dictatorial tendencies and a deviation from democratic principles that ought to underpin the NPP party. What makes matters worse my esteemed leader is the fact that the Bulawayo NEC was personally congratulated by yourself at Ryelands Farm and you are on record saying that the elections had been conducted fairly and democratically."

He said in view of their differences in values, perspective and ethics, politically, he with sadness withdrawing his membership with the Party with immediate effect.  

"As I move forward to work with and for the nation, I remain open to work with all truly progressive and democratic institutions and forces within our beloved country," he said.