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Cde Simon Khaya Moyo

Nqobile Tshili Chronicle Reporter
ZANU-PF central committee member, Cde Molly Mpofu yesterday said the revolutionary party should maintain balance in the presidium by electing an ex-PF Zapu cadre into party’s chairmanship.Her sentiments come at a time when there is debate over the chairman’s post being held by Cde Simon Khaya Moyo ahead of the party’s elective congress slated for December with some party members saying the post was not a preserve for ex-PF Zapu leaders.

Four people make up the Zanu-PF presidium, the party’s top brass – the President and First Secretary, Cde Mugabe, Vice-President and Second Secretary, Cde Joice Mujuru and the National Chairman, Cde Moyo. The other post of Vice-President and Second Secretary is vacant.

Cde Mpofu said since the signing of the 1987 Unity Accord the other post of vice president and national chairmanship have been a preserve for former PF- Zapu cadres and nothing should change.

“We’re in unity and as a party we should respect the Unity Accord. In the presidium we’ve four positions, the president and first vice-president that belongs to Zanu. While second vice-presidency and national chairmanship belongs to PF-Zapu members. It’s two against two,” she said.

The chairman’s post has become a subject of debate within the party with members issuing conflicting statements. Zanu-PF secretary for administration Cde Didymus Mutasa has expressed interest in the chairmanship and two weeks ago party spokesperson Cde Rugare Gumbo said there was no rule reserving the post for ex-PF Zapu cadres. The suggestion has become a thorny issue for ex-Zipra leaders who say it undermines the Unity Accord.

At the weekend Zanu-PF secretary for education, Dr Sikhanyiso Ndlovu said it was a known agreement that both the second secretary and vice-presidency and the national chairmanship were reserved for former PF-Zapu members.

Last week the party’s national political commissar Cde Webster Shamu torched a storm when he jokingly introduced Cde Mutasa as acting national chairman during a meeting at State House, in what was viewed as a “coup” by some.

Cde Khaya Moyo responded to the issue as quoted by our Harare Bureau’s Saturday edition saying Cde Mutasa was not supposed to be introduced as the acting national chairman as that can only happen if he was out of the country.