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Nduduzo Tshuma : Political Editor
BARELY a week following its launch, former Vice President Joice Mujuru’s Zimbabwe People First party is already embroiled in a fight over positions with some members reportedly miffed over their exclusion from the management committee.According to sources within the party, those involved in mobilising supporters in Bulawayo and Matabeleland region were overlooked with Mujuru last week announcing names unknown to them.
Affected in this confusion, sources revealed, include former war veterans national chairman Jabulani Sibanda, who was conspicuous by his absence at the press conference last Tuesday and former MDC-T Pumula legislator Albert Mhlanga.
ZPF head of the media steering committee Methuseli Moyo yesterday dismissed the reports saying: “It’s a lie, I don’t know anything about that, and it’s getting clearer that you, as an institution, are on a mission to create fictitious stories about ZPF.”
However, sources said after the press conference, the “front runners” from Matabeleland raised the red flag complaining over the inclusion of “strangers” ahead of the people who had volunteered their time mobilising for Mujuru.
Names that have torched the storm include Zimbabwe Liberators’ Platform leader Max Mnkandla and Esnat Bulayani formerly from the Professor Welshman Ncube-led MDC who were appointed conveners for Matabeleland North and Bulawayo respectively.
“After the press conference, there was a feeling that some names were parachuted by Mujuru, names of people unknown and who weren’t there during the mobilisation process. To make things worse, some of the selected names are very dubious,” said a disgruntled member.
“Some of the affected include Jabulani Sibanda and former Pumula legislator Albert Mhlanga who were running around for Mujuru before she came out but now it’s not clear where those two stand. Mujuru and her team said the term management committee had been erroneously used, insisting that the structures were temporary.”
The sources revealed that another meeting was held at a Bulawayo hotel last Friday to meet the leaders chosen by Mujuru.
“Even Sibanda attended the meeting. It was basically to welcome the members announced by Mujuru at the press conference but it was made clear that their appointment came as a shock as they weren’t known,” said a source.
derick.khumalo