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Cde Khaya Moyo

Marvelous Moyo Gwanda Correspondent
THE Zimbabwe National War Veterans Association leader, Cde Jabulani Sibanda, has expressed concern over the increasing number of people showing interest in taking up the Zanu-PF vice presidency yet the national chairman is entitled to the post. In an interview in Gwanda yesterday after a meeting with Matabeleland South war veterans at the Zanu-PF provincial headquarters, Cde Sibanda said it was worrying that people continued to throw their names as interested candidates for the VP’s post.

He said by tradition, the national chairman, Ambassador Simon Khaya Moyo, who is also the Senior Minister of State, has to be elevated to the position.
Cde Sibanda said they would continue backing President Mugabe despite his age because of his leadership skills and dedication to the revolution.

“Some things are traditional. In the first place it was promoted by the leading personnel in the party because when VP (Joshua Mqabuko) Nkomo passed away, who was the chairperson took over, and it was the same when VP Msika passed on. The question whether he was Zapu or Zanu never arose.

“We are looking at that the current chairperson taking over that position because this has been the practice and tradition in the party but if there are some observations that they see to say Khaya cannot take that position, the observations must be given to people openly, not clandestinely.”

He said it was a matter of concern that a number of people were vying for the Vice Presidency to a point that most of them seemed not to be aware that there were other positions that were important and essential to be occupied by people that considered themselves to be brilliant.
Cde Sibanda said those who had been throwing their names for the VP post were “expected to pick them up.”

He said within the party, there were now “gangs” and “a group of liars” creating confusion among the people.
“They have thrown their names and we expect them to pick their names back because it is the people that will sit down and suggest names. So any person who thinks he participated in the struggle in 1800s or in 1600s and thinks that because he was there that time, then he now should be a VP, I think that he is day dreaming.

“People are not measured by who they were but are measured by who they are now, how do they participate and how do they unite people today, what is their political cleanliness today, are they party activists or party officials,” he said.

Cde Sibanda joins some party officials among them Matabeleland South Zanu-PF chairman Cde Andrew Langa and the Minister of State responsible for provincial Affairs Cde Abedinico Ncube to back Ambassador Moyo.

Home Affairs Minister Cde Kembo Mohadi and Zimbabwe’s former Ambassador to South Africa Cde Phelekezela Mphoko have declared interest for the VP’s post while Cde Naison Khutshwekhaya Ndlovu said he thinking about it.