Kaukonde resigns from Mujuru's ZimPF

THE unfolding drama in the troubled Zimbabwe People First, which officially split on Wednesday, continued yesterday with several senior party members quitting the embattled party in protest over the expulsion of founding members - Messrs Didymus Mutasa, Rugare Gumbo - and five others.

High-profile figures that severed ties with Dr Joice Mujuru yesterday include Retired Brigadier-General Agrippa Mutambara, Messrs Sylvester Nguni and Ray Kaukonde as the deepening crisis stemming from myopic leadership, the embarrassing defeat in the Bikita West-by-election, and differences over entering into a partnership with the out-of-sorts MDC-T took its toll on the fractious party.

Those expelled or who voluntarily resigned were said to be opposed to the proposed coalition with MDC-T, which Dr Mujuru is keen to bless as a junior partner to the serial-losing MDC-T leader.

The interim ZimPF president countered the resignations by immediately replacing those expelled or who voluntarily resigned. Dr Mujuru announced that the process of holding a convention to elect a substantive leadership had been set in motion.

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This came out of a meeting held by Dr Mujuru and her group at a secluded wedding venue owned by her late husband General Solomon Mujuru on the outskirts of Borrowdale in Harare.

Those sympathetic to Mr Mutasa convened in Highlands at a property believed to be owned by businessman Mr Ray Kaukonde where most of them announced their resignations. Mr Kaukonde had earlier been tipped to take over leadership.

Another close associate of Dr Mujuru who announced his resignation from active politics was Mr Cougan Matanhire who was working as Mr Nguni's deputy in the administration department. Almost all national and provincial youth members who convened in Highlands walked away from the party.

In an interview yesterday, ZimPF spokesperson Mr Jealousy Mawarire said: "The national executive ratified the decision to expel those seven members. We also co-opted members to fill in positions left by the expelled members.

"(Engineer) Munacho Mutezo, who was leading the finance committee was replaced by Engineer Mubaiwa. Youth secretary Lucky Kandemiri was replaced by Farai Kuvheya while Dr Crispen Karanda took over from Mr Nguni (as head of administration). Gift Nyandoro replaced Mr Kudakwashe Bhasikiti who was leading the elections committee. They are just holding fort waiting for the national convention, possibly in the next two months. We did not replace the positions of Mr Mutasa and Mr Gumbo because in our structures, we do not have a position called elders."

Mr Mawarire scoffed at claims by the Mutasa camp that Dr Mujuru had no mandate to fire anyone from the party. He queried where Mr Mutasa and his group drew the mandate to also fire Dr Mujuru from? Mr Mawarire rubbished claims by Messrs Mutasa and Gumbo that they founded ZimPF saying the party was formed when the two were still fighting court battles to rejoin Zanu-PF.

In any case, Mr Mawarire said, Mr Gumbo actually wanted to form his party called Freedom Party. Letters which claimed to be from ZimPF overseas branches such as the United Kingdom and Japan seen by the Herald yesterday also endorsed the expulsion of Mr Mutasa and his group.

However, the authenticity of the letters could not be ascertained as some members from the Mutasa camp claimed that the party had no structures in countries such as Japan.

In his resignation letter, Mr Kaukonde, who was reportedly tipped to take over from Dr Mujuru said: "I have today decided to resign from the party ZimPF. However, I remain available to give you all my support for all your personal endeavours. Zvepolitics ndakambosendeka sekutaura kwandagara ndichiita. Ndatenda muzukuru. Wishing you all the best in your expectations."

Rtd Brig Gen Mutambara's statement issued to the media reads: "I am disappointed that the sacred democratic values that I hold dear are once again being violated by the dismissals and promised purging taking place in ZimPF. Zimbabwe People First, led by Joice Mujuru, has got its feet firmly lodged in sand, quicksand. The more it struggles, the more it sinks into it. As a decent human being, I respect Dr Mujuru.

"But as a leader of a promising political party that aims at dislodging Zanu-PF's 37-year grip on power, I find her indecisive and clueless. The party is directionless and cruising on autopilot. I announce today my break from ZimPF led by Dr Mujuru."

Members of the youth wing issued a stinging statement that puts into question Dr Mujuru's leadership credentials. The statement was read out by the party's deputy youth chair Mr Prosper Gavanga. "Dr Mujuru lacks principle and wisdom," reads the statement.

"The same script that was used to remove her from Zanu-PF and many others who stood by her, not as an admission of guilty but out of principle, is the same script she has adopted and improved even further. How can the interim president of a party, whose leadership has not been ratified by members at a convention, walk out of her home's bedroom or bathroom, hands unwashed, no due process or effort to meet her fellow Cdes and resolve the matter and make unsubstantiated claims in a press conference attended by a personality cult? She claims to be a democrat and yet acts like a first grade tyrant.

"Indeed, it has become apparent that whoever said she was simplistic and not ready to govern, was correct. If she fails to manage her family and party, what qualifies her to govern a country and an economy of 14 million people?"

Their point of departure with Dr Mujuru, they said, was lack of transparency and accountability on how she was managing the party and her resistance to build a formidable party.

The youths said it was not that some senior party members were against coalition talks as alleged by Dr Mujuru and her camp. At least 18 youths at national and provincial level signed the statement.