ZANU-PF Youth League Backs Nkomo for Vice-President of Zimbabwe

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Youth League backs Nkomo

By Brian Chitemba and Mashundu Netsianda
Courtesy of the Zimbabwe Chronicle

THE Zanu-PF Youth League has endorsed the party’s National Chairman Cde
John Nkomo to succeed the late Vice-President Joseph Msika.

The backing of Cde Nkomo by the youths came as Politburo member Cde
Kembo Mohadi urged members interested in the post of Vice-President to
desist from campaigning through the media.

A high-powered delegation of the Youth League from seven of the
country's 10 provinces met Cde Nkomo on Saturday in Bulawayo and assured
him of their support.
Zanu-PF Deputy Political Commissar Cde Richard Ndlovu also attended the
meeting.

Zanu-PF Bulawayo Youth League's Secretary for Administration, Cde
Bernard Nhata, who was one of the youth leaders who met Cde Nkomo,
confirmed the development.
The youth leaders were drawn from Manicaland, Matabeleland South,
Bulawayo, Harare, Mashonaland Central, Midlands and Masvingo.

Matabeleland North sent an apology while there was no communication from
Mashonaland West and East youth leagues.

"We met Cde Nkomo as the provincial leadership of the Youth League from
seven provinces and we assured him that he has our support," said Cde
Nhata.

He said the youths were rallying behind Cde Nkomo as they considered the
pivotal role he played towards the development of the country and his
seniority in the party — the united Zanu-PF.

Cde Nhata said although Cde Naison Ndlovu was the chairman of PF-Zapu
before the 1987 Unity Accord, Cde Nkomo has been in the Presidium for
the past 10 years and deserved to be elevated.

He said the Youth League believed Cde Nkomo had more experience in the
Presidium than other cadres who are interested in the VP’s post.

Apart from Cde Ndlovu, Bulawayo Resident Minister Cde Cain Mathema and
former Zipra Chief of Staff Retired Brigadier-General Ambrose Mutinhiri
have openly declared their interest in the VP's post.

"Cde Ndlovu was senior in PF-Zapu but now we have to look at who has
been in the most senior position for a longer period. In this case that
person is Cde John Nkomo and we are fully behind him. But even if it was
someone else who is not Cde Nkomo who was in the Presidium for a long
time, we were still going to rally behind him," said Cde Nhata.

"We prefer Cde Nkomo for VP's post because he is stable and has the
experience and understanding of people nationwide. People should just
stop jostling for the VP's position because Cde Nkomo is there, he
deserves to be in that office."

The youth league leaders also told Cde Nkomo of the dangers of
factionalism, which is rearing its ugly head again.

"Factionalism is now destroying the party because cadres are at each
others throat over the VP's post. We should work together as a party and
stop behaving like we are from different parties," said Cde Nhata.

Zanu-PF Bulawayo Province's deputy political commissar, Cde Stars Mathe,
also challenged party members to stop jostling for the VP's post and
give Cde Nkomo a chance.

Bulawayo has already endorsed Cde Nkomo as the candidate to succeed Cde
Msika.
Cde Nkomo could not be reached for comment.

The war veterans have urged Zanu-PF to go for elections to choose the
next Vice President.

Zanu-PF Secretary for Administration Cde Didymus Mutasa has said the
most senior person for a longer period would take over as
Vice-President.

But in an interview in Beitbridge yesterday, Zanu-PF Politburo member
Cde Kembo Mohadi said it was not proper to use the media to canvass for
support as the party had a mandate to assign people to a position.

"It is clearly unprocedural for members to campaign for positions using
the media because it is only the party that has the mandate to assign
people," said Cde Mohadi, who is also the Co-Minister of Home Affairs.

"The Zanu-PF Politburo, which is the party's highest decision making
body, is yet to meet over the issue and we will resolve it. Therefore I
don't think it is prudent for some members or individuals to go around
canvassing for positions in that manner."

The post of the party's Vice-Presidency fell vacant following the death
of Cde Msika in August.

Cde Mohadi has since indicated that he was not interested in the post
that is second in command in the party.

Cde Mohadi, who is also the Member of Parliament for Beitbridge East,
said the Matabeleland region has not yet made nominations for the
candidates likely to take up the Vice-Presidency.

In the past two weeks, there has been an intense debate in Zanu-PF over
the succession of one of the country's founding fathers, the late
Vice-President Msika, who at the time of his death was the most senior
former PF-Zapu official in the party, which merged with the old Zanu-PF
on 22 December 1987.

The Zanu-PF Politburo directed that the three provinces of the party in
the Matabeleland region, Bulawayo, Matabeleland South and North select a
candidate for nomination and that the selection process should be
"exhaustible, transparent and candid to enable a popular candidate to
emerge."

The decision was in line with an understanding following the Unity
Accord that one of the two Vice-Presidents should come from the former
PF-Zapu.