Zanu People First a pressure group

Max Mkandla a war veteran highly linked to the former Vice-President Joice Mujuru's faction which allegedly formed a political party called Original Zanu PF (People First), has dismissed claims that there was such a political party, but rather preferred to call it a pressure group composed of disgruntled and emotional members who are angry over recent events.

Mkandla's remarks come at a time when insiders of the said political grouping confided that modalities were seriously being made that sooner or later the interim leadership would be put in place before a congress is held.

It is alleged the group would rope in members from the Dumiso Dabengwa-led Zapu and Welshman Ncube-led MDC to the executive of the new formation which is expected to be a resinous thorn on President Robert Mugabe's Zanu PF ahead of the 2018 elections.

Mkandla is alleged to be highly linked to the Mujuru grouping and sources say he is one of the strategist involved in creating structures in the Matabeleland and Bulawayo provinces. But yesterday when asked about his links to the political grouping,  he seemed evasive and would not commit himself. Instead he said he was interested in putting the record straight about Original Zanu People First.

"I want to put the record straight so that people do not get lost," Mkandla said.

"About this Zanu PF, people are rushing to call it a political party. I am shocked by other political leadership who have rushed to meet members of this political grouping to map a strategy for a coalition. I do not know how they understand a pressure group or a political party."

He said a political party is formed and gets registered in line with the laws of the country.

"It must be having a clear symbol, regalia, membership cards, constitution which makes it a political party," Mkandla said. "The party at its formation is headed by an interim executive to congress where an executive is elected. A political party that starts with leadership is not a political party, but a group of emotional people who are angry over past events. As far as I am concerned People First is not a political party now, but a pressure group. It does not even exist. People must not mix things."

He said maybe in the near future after meeting requirements such as symbol, constitution, regalia, membership cards and registration, that is when it would be able to form a coalition with other parties depending on membership it has.

Mkandla warned that if the group associated itself with Zanu PF without anything to do with Zapu which was led by late Vice-President Joshua Nkomo, it would be hard for them to get any support from Matabeleland where people  identified themselves with past political movements.

MDC Renewal secretary-general Tendai Biti recently announced that his grouping would meet Mujuru for a coalition.

Contacted for comment  former Zanu PF secretary for administration, Didymas Mutasa, did not respond to questions sent to him