Ndibali bounces back as EFF Zimbabwe president

Zimbabwe's Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party has stripped its interim president Xolani Tshuma of the presidency, barely five months after his appointment and has opted to reinstate the party's founding president, Innocent Gagu Ndibali.

Tshuma will now become one of the two vice presidents alongside Ottilia Mathe.

He had been appointed the party's interim president in November last year after the founding president -Ndibali stepped down, citing commitment in the UK where he is based.

However, Ndibali said the leadership change was strategic and pushed by a need to protect the party from counter-revolutionaries who had hijacked the organisation.

"In response to the need to continue with growing the revolution and making sure that the gains of the revolution are protected from counter-revolutionaries sponsored by external forces EEF (Zimbabwe) has taken a strategic decision to change the top leadership of the party," he said.

Ndibali said EFF Zimbabwe required a political party anchored on the principles of delivering socialist economic power to indigenous people of Zimbabwe.

"We are that party. To make sure that we have a strategic advantage to advance our objectives, EFF Zimbabwe leadership has decided to unanimously bring me back to assume the position of the president of the party," he said.

"The top leadership of the party has been changed to ensure that the revolutionary objectives of the party continue to be pursued for the benefit of the poor masses of the people of Zimbabwe. EFF Zimbabwe is a radical, militant economic emancipation movement which brings together fearless and radical activists."

Ndibali also announced new deployments in the party.

"Following wide ranging consultations with the leaders of the party at Central Command team level and Supreme Command level, it was concluded that I have the right experience and political leadership skills to take the party to the next level. The party recognised that Cde Tshuma worked tirelessly for the party during his time as president therefore has been redeployed to the position of vice president," he said.

Ndibali also announced the appointment of Patrick Mpofu as National Chairperson, Mike Sitsha -Deputy National Chairperson while Jackie Mugwazi assumes the Secretary General position and Noreen Moyo becomes treasurer.

Other members are Deputy Secretary General - Silvester Ncube, National Spokesperson - Vimbai Mapunga, Deputy Spokesperson - Witness Hove , Head of Policy and Strategy  - Allen Mpofu, National organiser -Khumbulani Sibanda and Deputy National organiser - Clever Nyoni.

Ndibali said as part of the restructuring exercise, the party's Central Command would also be restructured.

"The Central Command team will be reconstituted at the National People's Assembly (NPA) to bring in new fighters who will dedicate time and skills to the revolution. The party will continue revamping other party structures. The party is also speeding up building structures across the length and breadth of the country," he said.

Ndibali added that the party's leadership will embark on a structures assessment and verification exercise once the Covid-19 lockdown restrictions are eased.

 "A team of four led by the Vice President Mathe will be dispatched soon to assess and verify party structures. EFF Zimbabwe would like to make it categorically clear to all the fighters that the party has a renewed strategy to mobilise the ground forces. Therefore, every fighter is requested to follow the command as directed by President Ndibali to register at local constituency, branch, ward, and provincial level."

He highlighted this new leadership would take the party to the inaugural NPA, at a date to be advised in due course.

Ndibali made headlines in 2017 after he was arrested addressing journalists at the Bulawayo Media Centre.

Police alleged that Ndibali had violated his visa conditions by addressing journalists.

He was however acquitted of the charges.