Lumumba dumps Zanu-PF

Outspoken Zanu-PF activist, Acie Lumumba yesterday quit the ruling party, claiming it had lost direction and was now infested with corrupt officials bent on enriching themselves.

He said Zanu-PF could no longer serve the interests of the people and was too divided and out of touch with hard realities being faced by the majority of Zimbabweans.

Lumumba fell out of favour with his former bosom buddies, including Youth minister Patrick Zhuwao, whom he described as an extortionist.

This came after Zhuwao sacked Lumumba from chairing the Zimbabwe Youth Empowerment Strategy for Investment, hardly a week after his appointment on allegations of stealing some funds.

"It is with the heaviest of hearts today that I resign as deputy secretary for tourism and environment for Harare province and withdraw my membership from Zanu-PF," he wrote in a letter addressed to Harare provincial chairperson, Charles Tawengwa.

The letter was also copied to Zanu-PF secretary for administration, Ignatius Chombo and political commissar, Saviour Kasukuwere.

He accused the Zanu-PF government of collecting taxes from ordinary people to pay huge salaries to corrupt and incompetent parastatal bosses. Lumumba said the government was collecting huge taxes that killed local manufacturers, used double speak on indigenisation, and was thwarting the participation of Zimbabweans on national issues, among others.

"I am leaving the party. I cannot continue like this being part of a system that is destroying its children, fails to care for its elders, doesn't honour its servicemen, and, most importantly, doesn't allow youths to grow and flourish," he said.

"I am surrounded by youths whose dreams are oppressed and stolen. I have never known any other political home and I have no other love politically except the ideals Zanu-PF taught me. I am aware how cold it is outside Zanu-PF politically, but I am cognisant that is where the rest of my peers are. Like our President (Robert Mugabe) many years ago made the decision to start a struggle, tonight I make mine."