News / National
PDP endorses Matibenga party leader
18 Apr 2018 at 01:55hrs | Views
THE breakaway faction of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) has organised an extraordinary council meeting in Bulawayo tomorrow to elect a deputy president, and endorse Lucia Matibenga as the party's substantive leader.
Matibenga broke ranks with the Tendai Biti-led faction late last year following differences over joining the MDC Alliance. At the time, Matibenga was party chairperson.
Party sources told Southern Eye yesterday that the deputy president's post would be up for grabs with former Bulawayo mayor Patrick Thaba Moyo tipped to land the position.
Other positions to be filled are that of chairperson and treasurer-general.
PDP interim spokesperson Fortune Mlalazi said the extraordinary council meeting will be held at the Ampitheatre.
"We are expecting about 4 500 delegates from across the country where the membership will choose a substantive president and deputy president. The general council meeting will also tackle other issues relating to the upcoming elections such as the issue of a coalition with other opposition parties," he said.
Matibenga's PDP is an affiliate member of the People's Rainbow Coalition (PRC) whose presidential candidate is National People's Party leader Joice Mujuru.
Mlalazi said the party leadership would blend both youth and elders.
"PDP is all embracing. The idea of youthful generation taking control alone is not proper. If we say youth only are important, what about those yet unborn, those who have not started schooling and the pensioners? Do we mean that they are not relevant in our governing plans?" Mlalazi said.
"All these people are Zimbabweans, they have a right to be considered in any planning about the nation. We do not want to go back to what the war veterans did in which they saw themselves as the only eligible to take farms, and natural resources at will while the rest of the people are suffering. Look at what they have dragged us into. The country is suffering economical due to their careless actions?"
Matibenga broke ranks with the Tendai Biti-led faction late last year following differences over joining the MDC Alliance. At the time, Matibenga was party chairperson.
Party sources told Southern Eye yesterday that the deputy president's post would be up for grabs with former Bulawayo mayor Patrick Thaba Moyo tipped to land the position.
Other positions to be filled are that of chairperson and treasurer-general.
PDP interim spokesperson Fortune Mlalazi said the extraordinary council meeting will be held at the Ampitheatre.
Matibenga's PDP is an affiliate member of the People's Rainbow Coalition (PRC) whose presidential candidate is National People's Party leader Joice Mujuru.
Mlalazi said the party leadership would blend both youth and elders.
"PDP is all embracing. The idea of youthful generation taking control alone is not proper. If we say youth only are important, what about those yet unborn, those who have not started schooling and the pensioners? Do we mean that they are not relevant in our governing plans?" Mlalazi said.
"All these people are Zimbabweans, they have a right to be considered in any planning about the nation. We do not want to go back to what the war veterans did in which they saw themselves as the only eligible to take farms, and natural resources at will while the rest of the people are suffering. Look at what they have dragged us into. The country is suffering economical due to their careless actions?"
Source - newsday
