News / National
Msipa turned down VP post?
02 Oct 2013 at 09:38hrs | Views
Former PF Zapu secretary-general - Cephas Msipa
FORMER-PF Zapu secretary-general and one-time Midlands governor Cephas Msipa turned down propositions by some former party members for him to contest the vice-presidency post left vacant by the death of John Nkomo in January this year, it emerged yesterday.
The revelations came amid reports that Msipa facilitated a meeting of former-PF Zapu members in the Midlands two weeks ago to select Nkomo's successor.
He was approached to take the post ahead of Simon Khaya Moyo, who as Zanu-PF chairman, was expected to land the VP post without any contestations.
The latest developments indicate Khaya Moyo's ascendancy is not a done deal and the warring factions in Zanu-PF can still brew a shocker.
Sources said after Msipa turned down the suggestions, the Gweru meeting decided to endorse Khaya Moyo for the position.
"Some party members from Matabeleland South and Mashonaland East suggested that Msipa take up the vice-presidency to show that-PF Zapu was not a regional party, but a national one," an official who attended the meeting told Southern Eye.
"Msipa, however, declined saying most of the surviving-PF Zapu members were in Matabeleland and it would not make sense to any ordinary person on the streets that someone outside Matabeleland given the post."
"Msipa said the development would be interpreted by many as the death of the (1987) Unity Accord."
Contacted for comment yesterday, Msipa said he was happy where he was and not interested in the post.
"I made it clear at the beginning that I was not in the contest," Msipa said "I was not interested in the post. I was merely facilitating the meeting.
"The views (for him to contest the vice-presidency) were not expressed in the meeting, but I have heard it from the streets. I am happy with where I am right now and I am not interested in the post."
According to reports, a number of former-PF Zapu members in the united Zanu-PF politburo and central committee attended after the invitation was extended to them.
"Only a few gave excuses and did not attend the meeting," a party insider said.
Zanu-PF spokesperson Rugare Gumbo and party secretary for administration, Didymus Mutasa, were not available for comment yesterday.
However, Gumbo told our sister paper The Standard that only President Robert Mugabe could comment on the issue.
Khaya Moyo also professed ignorance of the meeting.
The revelations came amid reports that Msipa facilitated a meeting of former-PF Zapu members in the Midlands two weeks ago to select Nkomo's successor.
He was approached to take the post ahead of Simon Khaya Moyo, who as Zanu-PF chairman, was expected to land the VP post without any contestations.
The latest developments indicate Khaya Moyo's ascendancy is not a done deal and the warring factions in Zanu-PF can still brew a shocker.
Sources said after Msipa turned down the suggestions, the Gweru meeting decided to endorse Khaya Moyo for the position.
"Some party members from Matabeleland South and Mashonaland East suggested that Msipa take up the vice-presidency to show that-PF Zapu was not a regional party, but a national one," an official who attended the meeting told Southern Eye.
"Msipa, however, declined saying most of the surviving-PF Zapu members were in Matabeleland and it would not make sense to any ordinary person on the streets that someone outside Matabeleland given the post."
"Msipa said the development would be interpreted by many as the death of the (1987) Unity Accord."
"I made it clear at the beginning that I was not in the contest," Msipa said "I was not interested in the post. I was merely facilitating the meeting.
"The views (for him to contest the vice-presidency) were not expressed in the meeting, but I have heard it from the streets. I am happy with where I am right now and I am not interested in the post."
According to reports, a number of former-PF Zapu members in the united Zanu-PF politburo and central committee attended after the invitation was extended to them.
"Only a few gave excuses and did not attend the meeting," a party insider said.
Zanu-PF spokesperson Rugare Gumbo and party secretary for administration, Didymus Mutasa, were not available for comment yesterday.
However, Gumbo told our sister paper The Standard that only President Robert Mugabe could comment on the issue.
Khaya Moyo also professed ignorance of the meeting.
Source - southerneye
