I am honest and loyal — Langa

THE Chronicle Political Editor, Nduduzo Tshuma held an interview with the former Zanu-PF Matabeleland South provincial chairperson Cde Andrew Langa to discuss a vote of no confidence in him as chairman in the run up to the Zanu-PF 6th National People’s Congress.

Cde Langa was kicked out for among other things, undermining the authority of President Robert Mugabe and working with a faction led by former Vice-President Joice Mujuru who is accused of plotting to overthrow and or assassinate the Head of State.

The Minister of Sport, Art and Culture is one of the Zanu-PF officials who have been slapped with a two year ban from holding any position in the party after the party’s Politburo recently upheld their respective suspensions.

Below is the interview:

Tshuma: You have been banned from holding any position within the party for the next two years. What next from now?

Langa: I welcome the decision by my party. I will remain an honest, dedicated party cadre until the two years that the party has sanctioned me. I’m a member of the Provincial Coordinating Committee (PCC) by virtue of being Insiza North MP and also a card carrying member. I will work with my colleagues in the party to advance its interests. I’m part of the party’s restructuring of cells in Insiza and I’m happy to work with my colleagues in the party. I’m happy to be part of the programmes to build the cells as they form the foundation of Zanu-PF. I’m hopeful that after this programme the party will be stronger and will proceed to induct all those who have been put into positions. I’m happy working under the current leadership.

Tshuma: Can you comment on your alleged links to fired Vice-President Joice Mujuru?

Langa: I have always been honest and loyal to his Excellency President Mugabe. I have no links with Mujuru, I never had. I have never been a member of any faction if ever there are factions in Zanu-PF. I belong to a Zanu-PF led by President Mugabe. Ever since I joined Zanu-PF, I have always followed the rules and principles of the party. I was never part of a plot to overthrow the President. We are lucky as Zimbabweans to have a leader, father and mentor like President Mugabe. Anyone who thinks they can take his position is daydreaming. We’re lucky that we were given President Mugabe by the Almighty and we have to be thankful that we have travelled with him from the liberation war, independence, land reform and now the empowerment of the black majority. We can’t ask for any other leader than President Mugabe.

Tshuma: There are reports that some MPs who used to work with Mujuru are still making contact with her. Are you in any way still in touch with Mujuru?

Langa: No! I’m not in any form of contact with Mujuru. I only knew her as the Vice President before she was relieved of her duties. We were never close and I have no reason to keep in touch with her. I don’t see any reason to and I don’t understand why one would want to continue interacting with people who have been expelled from the party.

Tshuma: You were one of the first to openly back former Zanu-PF chairman Cde Simon Khaya Moyo for the Vice Presidency in the run-up to last year’s conference which some in the party said was confirmation that you were part of Mujuru’s faction. What’s your comment on that?

Langa: I didn’t know that Cde Simon Khaya Moyo belonged to any faction if at all he belonged or belongs to any. I had known that he was from Matabeleland South. I had supported him as a leader from Matabeleland South and not as a member of any faction like I said if at all he belonged to a faction.

Tshuma: Again in the run-up to the congress, you were accused of diverting maize donated by First Lady Grace Mugabe and distributed it to members of your faction.

Langa: No maize seed was diverted. All that I saw through the Women’s League is that the maize was distributed to party districts of the Women’s League and everything was done above board. It’s unfortunate that some people out of pure malice wanted to drag the name of our leaders to pursue personal vendettas.

Tshuma: Do you have any regrets in the way you ran Matabeleland South province as chairperson?

Langa: That’s a difficult question but what I can say is that when you are in a position of leadership, it’s important to work guided by the constitution and respect the leadership. It’s a message that I want to send to my colleagues in the party that we have one leadership. We have one centre of power. That is an arrangement which will take our party to greater heights.