War vet wants open debate on VP's post

FORMER Matabeleland South provincial war veterans' association chairman Jabulani Phetshu Sibanda yesterday defended Zanu-PF politburo member Abedinico Ncube for openly backing party national chairman Simon Khaya Moyo for the vice presidency post.

Ncube on Saturday said Matabeleland North province backed Khaya Moyo for the vice-presidency but 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.

Sibanda said no one should be barred from discussing the issue of the vice-presidency. He added that it was already a foregone conclusion who would land the post as former PF Zapu members met in the Midlands last year and backed Khaya Moyo.

He suggested that attention should be given to the national chairperson's post before it was taken away by former Zanu members due to lack of unity by those who should claim it.

"When the late Dr Joshua Nkomo sat down with President Mugabe and agreed on the Unity Accord, we benefited a lot. He spoke on behalf of all of us and no one, no one will block us from talking about issues because that is our democratic right," said Sibanda who is also Zanu-PF Matabeleland South secretary for lands and resettlement.

He said while the Unity Accord could be interpreted differently, everyone was free to talk about it.

"After the signing of the Unity Accord, what became the trend is that Dr Nkomo became vice president and his deputy Joseph Msika became national chairman. After the death of Dr Nkomo, Msika was elevated to vice president and John Nkomo to national chairperson. When Msika died, Nkomo was elevated to vice president and Khaya Moyo appointed national chairman," said Sibanda.

"The precedence was set by Dr Nkomo and that is what we have been following ever since. These are the same elders who met at Davies Hall and after their meeting told us that they had nominated Khaya Moyo for the chairperson post so what has changed?

"The very elders also met at Msipa's house in the Midlands last year and agreed to back Khaya Moyo for the vice presidency so that issue is a done deal. It has been concluded. I support Ncube's stance but feel he should have also added the preferred candidate for the national chairperson's post."

Sibanda said while the party elders are admitting that they made a mistake in following precedence, they should come out in the open otherwise it was clear Khaya Moyo is the next vice president.

"Instead of blocking people from discussing these things, the elders should be encouraging discussions particularly on the chairpersonship position. That post has been held by former PF Zapu members and the trend should continue. They should tell us who the candidate is before other people take the position," said Sibanda.

"These are things involving former PF Zapu members and I do not know what they mean when they say we have to get a go ahead. From where? They should be brave, if the post of the chairperson goes, we will blame them."

Sibanda said the party elders should also tell them whether the seniority used to select leadership was based on the present positions in Zanu-PF or the positions from back in Zambia during the liberation struggle.  "It is wrong to say the Provincial Coordinating Committees (PCC) would decide on the issue of posts because people should caucus first. The PCCs include everyone yet the former PF Zapu cadres should meet and agree first," he said.

Former Zimbabwe Ambassador to South Africa Phelekezela Mphoko and ex-Zipra commander Retired Brigadier General Ambrose Mutinhiri have said they will come up with a position. If they decide that they qualify for the post, they are likely to battle it out with Khaya Moyo who has refused to declare interest but is regarded as a front-runner.