Kembo Mohadi ready to be Vice President

ZANU-PF politburo member and Home Affairs Minister Kembo Mohadi yesterday said he was ready to take up the Zanu-PF Vice Presidency if nominated by the people at the party's elective congress in December.

Mohadi who is also Beitbridge East legislator said Zanu-PF was a democratic party and the people's wishes would prevail at the party's indaba.

"That is up to the congress to choose. Those who want to contest will indicate but what I can say is that the vacancy is there," Mohadi said.

Pressed if his response meant he was not interested in the position, Mohadi said, "I can't say I am not interested but the decision comes from the people, if they select me then its fine.

"Zanu-PF is a democratic party and the people will decide. I know a lot of people have been saying a lot of things about this matter but it doesn't work. The congress will decide on who takes up the post, what is true is that there is a vacancy."

Zanu-PF Matabeleland South provincial chairman Andrew Langa on Sunday defended Politburo member Abedinico Ncube's bold support for national chairman Simon Khaya Moyo to land the vice-presidency in the December elective congress saying he also shares the same sentiments.

Ncube torched a storm last weekend when he said Matabeleland South was behind Khaya Moyo's candidature prompting accusations from some senior party members in the province who accused him of "jumping the gun".

Fellow politburo members Naison Khutshwekhaya Ndlovu and Richard Ndlovu said it was wrong to declare preferred candidates before the party had set the ball in motion.

Langa told Chronicle on the sidelines of a provincial co-ordinating committee meeting in Gwanda that his province was confident the former ambassador to South Africa would land the  VP post.

Several ex-Zipra cadres have expressed divergent views over the VP issue.

Former Matabeleland South provincial war veterans' association chairman Jabulani Phetshu Sibanda last week said no one should be barred from discussing the issue of the Vice presidency.

He added that it was already a foregone conclusion that the post would go to Khaya Moyo as former PF-Zapu members met in the Midlands last year and backed him.

The VP post fell vacant in January last year following the death of Landa John Nkomo.

Outgoing Zimbabwean Ambassador to South Africa Phelekezela Mphoko and Retired Brigadier General Ambrose Mutinhiri have said they are considering whether or not to go for the post.

Khaya Moyo is considered the front runner in the race by virtue of seniority and precedence.