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Harare Bureau
The Unity Accord signed between former President Mr Robert Mugabe and the late Father Zimbabwe Dr Joshua Nkomo should be defended and respected at all costs as it forms the basis of the unity among Zimbabweans today.

This was said by Zanu-PF Secretary for Information and Publicity Cde Simon Khaya Moyo yesterday in a statement ahead of the 31st anniversary celebrations of Unity Day tomorrow.

The two former leaders of liberation movements Zanu (PF) and PF Zapu signed the Unity Accord on December 22, 1987, resulting in the formation of a united Zanu-PF.

“On 22nd December 2018 Zimbabwe will be celebrating Unity Day in honour of the Unity Accord of 22 December 1987 signed by the two erstwhile liberation icons former President Mugabe and the late Father Zimbabwe Dr Joshua Nqabuko Nkomo on behalf of then liberation parties Zanu (PF) and PF Zapu,” Cde Khaya Moyo said.

“The liberation movements prosecuted the liberation struggle to its logical conclusion through their respective armies, Zanla and Zipra respectively. It is well known that the formation of the Patriotic Front in 1976 was the basis of the negotiations which ensued with the British in Geneva, Malta and Lancaster House Conferences testify. When we attained independence in 1980 the two parties formed a Unity Government. It became desirable that the two parties hold extensive and intensive negotiations to form one party. These exchanges resulted in the signing of the Unity Accord of 22 December 1987 by the two principals leading to the formation of a united Zanu-PF. In fact this agreement formed the basis of the unity of our people across the country and must be respected and defended at all costs. Efforts to derail it must be discouraged. The letter and the spirit of the Accord must be upheld at all times.”

Cde Khaya Moyo implored Zanu-PF cadres to shun factionalism and other divisive activities saying the Unity Accord had no room for such practices.

“The Unity Accord has no provision for factionalism. I have at all party conferences and other fora spoken hard against factionalism, corruption, tribalism regionalism and racism, the party Constitution remains supreme.

“We have often heard of the existence of factionalism within our revolutionary party. No one should lead or belong to a faction. A principled cadre can only belong to the party with one leader. In Zanu-PF our leader is Cde Mnangagwa and no one else,” he said.

The Zanu-PF spokesperson said the recently held 17th National People’s Conference in Esigodini, Matabeleland South, reaffirmed that President Mnangagwa remained the party’s leader and candidate for the 2023 elections.

“We must of course always take into account that our glorious and revolutionary party Zanu-PF is the leading light of our people. It is therefore incumbent upon all of us to stocktake our actions as we endeavour to fully subscribe to our party’s motto of Unity, Peace and Development,” he said.

“The Unity Accord must be the heartbeat of our body politic. Some among ourselves merely pay lip service to the Unity Accord. This is wrong as it betrays the values, principles and ethos of liberation struggle. We must move away from the politics of division, regionalism, tribalism and all forms of negative politics. Pretenders have no room in Zanu-PF.”