(Last Updated on October 27, 2015 by Editor)
ZIMBABWE – Former Vice-President Joice Mujuru’s much-vaunted People First (PF) political project could die a natural death “because it is operating exactly as the Zanu PF politburo”, former Zanu PF Mashonaland West provincial chairperson Temba Mliswa has said. Responding to allegations that he was a ruling party mole bent on destabilising the democratic movement in Zimbabwe, Mliswa said Mujuru had “literally missed the bus”.
“They (Mujuru and company) must stop talking and call for a congress, launch a party and have structures to prepare for the coming election than just talk,” Mliswa said yesterday.
“The PF project was anchored on the nine chairpersons who were sacked from Zanu PF, but I can tell you none of those are with them (Mujuru group) because they (chairpersons) were disillusioned.
“They felt as much betrayed as I was by Mujuru and (Didymus) Mutasa in particular. The way they capitulated and had they not been expelled none of them would have questioned President Robert Mugabe’s choices of Vice-Presidents or any other officials.”
Mujuru was unceremoniously kicked out of Zanu PF along with other leading figures in the former guerilla movement among them former secretary for administration Mutasa and then spokesperson Rugare Gumbo.
Mliswa was among nine chairpersons ousted in co-ordinated no-confidence votes as the ruling party hurtled towards an elective
congress last year.
The group, derisively referred to as the Mujuru “cabal of quislings”, was accused of plotting to unseat Mugabe by foul means including through assassination with assistance from Western powers opposed to Mugabe’s rule.
At the weekend, Gumbo labelled Mliswa a Zanu PF agent after the latter had dismissed the PF as clueless.
“We cannot continue to recycle leadership. Mujuru missed a chance when Mugabe and his politburo were victimising her supporters like myself and others. She would have put her foot down and said something, defended us, but did nothing.
“Instead it was Gumbo who defended us, who fought valiantly against the machinations of these groups in Zanu PF. Mujuru remained tight-lipped along with Mutasa despite the fact that they were so close to Mugabe and very powerful,” Mliswa said.
“Secondly, when Mujuru was kicked out she should have announced that all the chairpersons and other leaders who had been expelled had been reinstated and these people would have gone onto the ground and mobilised against the installed chairpersons. It would have created a counter centre of power against Mugabe and that would have been the end of Zanu PF.”
He added: “Instead she recoiled and to this day there is no party, no structure or constitutions but people come up with a blueprint that was created by a few people.
“It is exactly the same way the Zanu PF politburo operates and I do not see anything new that Mujuru would do that she has not learnt from Mugabe. They are creating another Mugabe out of Mujuru.” newsday