Khaya Moyo could face a challenge for VP post

Zanu PF national chairperson Simon Khaya Moyo yesterday refused to speak about his future following reports he could face a challenge in the race to fill the post of second vice-president.

The post left vacant by the death of John Nkomo last year would be filled at the Zanu PF congress scheduled for December.

Khaya Moyo is almost assured of landing the post, but recent reports suggested there were some former Zapu cadrés who felt they deserve the post ahead of the former ambassador to South Africa because of their alleged seniority.

The senior minister, who was in Bulawayo to launch a booklet on the unveiling of late Vice-President Joshua Nkomo's statue and official opening of the Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport last December, said the veteran nationalist taught him to never fight for positions.

"You (journalists) only think about positions; that's where the problem is," Khaya Moyo said when asked about the jostling for posts.

"Umdala (Nkomo) did not want to talk about positions. What positions. Bring people together; that is what is important.

"Let us get on with what brings people together.

"Unity is not an event, but a process. Those who do not believe in it will eventually realise that they are lost.

"You cannot do without unity and believe you can prosper.

"You can't have peace without unity. You can't have development without peace and you can't have prosperity without development."

He avoided questions about whether he was ready to fill Nkomo's shoes especially as leading political figure head.

"Where are the shoes? Bring me the shoes," Khaya Moyo retorted.

"I will look at them. I said bring the shoes and then I will tell you exactly."

Khaya Moyo was one of Nkomo's aides and his stock has been rising since returning from a diplomatic posting in South Africa in 2011.

As national chairperson and a member of the Zanu PF presidium, Khaya Moyo is the most senior party official after President Robert Mugabe and Vice-President Joice Mujuru.

Judging by Zanu PF's strict adherence to seniority, he would land the post of VP comfortably in December barring any dramatic twist in the party's succession battles.

Meanwhile, Khaya Moyo said they would be reviewing all projects meant to preserve Nkomo's legacy that have been lying idle for years.

"We are revisiting all the projects. You have already seen what happened on December 22 2013. Now we are busy on Ekusileni Hospital," he said.

"We are revisiting all projects you can think of and adding more to fulfill his dreams.

"It's not one project. He was bigger than one project. He looked at Zimbabwe as a whole.

"The Development Trust of Zimbabwe (DTZ) which the president (Robert Mugabe) is patron to, will soon have a new rejuvenated board of trustees which will spearhead the implementation of all these projects, that I can assure you.

"The patron of DTZ is the president so he cannot allow projects to fall apart when he is the patron, so we shall be soon announcing a new board of trustees. That new board will be mandated to ensure that all the projects envisaged or thought of must be implemented the fulfillment to the old man's dream," Khaya Moyo added.

In a separate interview, chairperson of the Joshua Nkomo National Foundation Francis Nhema said the Health and Child Care ministry would soon be making an announcement on Ekusileni Hospital, which has been lying idle for more than a decade.

Nhema revealed that the Home Affairs ministry would soon announce a site where Nkomo's statue would be erected in Harare.

He said the foundation was keen on seeing the completion of all of Nkomo's projects, which he said were being delayed by general lack of funding.