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Prof Madhuku

Harare Bureau
NATIONAL Constitutional Assembly chairman Professor Lovemore Madhuku will step down from the helm of the lobby group during the organisation’s congress on Saturday as he moves to launch an as yet to be named new political outfit which he says will be pan-African in outlook.

The NCA congress will be held in Harare while the political party, sources say, will be launched sometime in December this year.
Sources yesterday said while Prof Madhuku’s term as NCA chairman had ended, members were likely to endorse a plan to form a political party that he would lead as he moves to capitalise on the dwindling fortunes of his erstwhile allies in MDC-T

Prof Madhuku, who has been accused of clinging onto power, has served his two five-year terms and according to the NCA constitution, is not legible to stand for re-election again. He yesterday confirmed his term of office had ended, adding the Saturday congress would discuss the future of the NCA.

He said the NCA wanted to use political methods to get a “democratic constitution,” after it failed to push for its agenda during the last constitution-making process spearheaded by the inclusive Government.

“The first point of discussion would be the future of the organisation. If the organisation decides to use civic methods, which have failed, then I am stepping down but if we are to form a political party then I believe the current leadership would want to pursue our quest to have a democratic constitution.”

Prof Madhuku, whose NCA subsisted on donor funds since the turn of the millennium, said the political party would be nationalist in nature and uphold Zimbabwe’s national interests, ideals and ethos.

Analysts said Prof Madhuku’s claim to nationalist ethos was born out of the realisation that politics of puppetry had cost the MDC-T which explains his recent attendance of burials of national heroes at the National Heroes Acre and his pro-revolution utterances.  The NCA congress should have been held in 2011 but the organisation’s national taskforce, the highest decision making body in between congresses, resolved that it be held after the referendum and national elections to allow the current leadership to lead the No vote campaign.

The referendum was held in March this year and the Yes vote prevailed while the harmonised elections were held in July and Zanu-PF won resoundingly.

NCA spokesperson, Mr Blessing Vava, yesterday confirmed that Prof Madhuku would step down this Saturday. “He (Prof Madhuku) is stepping down as the NCA chairman. He has served his two five year terms and constitutionally one cannot stand again in that position. It was supposed to be held in 2011 but we had no money, donors abandoned us and also there was a resolution to wait for the referendum before we change the leadership.”

He said other leadership posts would also be contested.
Mr Vava said details on the decision to form a new political party would be disclosed at the Saturday congress.
Sources, however, said with the referendum now a foregone issue, the discussion to form a political party would just be a formality as Prof Madhuku would still remain in the limelight.

“He is earmarked to become the new leader of the party, if the congress passes the resolution to launch a party,” said the source.