(Last Updated on December 14, 2015 by Editor)
ZIMBABWE – HARARE – President Mugabe says he is not losing sleep over expelled former Vice President Joice Mujuru’s People’s First project, which he dismissed as a non-existent political organisation not worthy of any discussion.
Zimbabwe strongman likened Mujuru’s political party to a caricature of a pottery object still in its formative stage. The remarks came after a delegate chanted a slogan saying “Down with People’s First” at the official opening of the 15th zanu-pf Annual National People’s Conference last Friday.
According to State media; Mugabe laughed off the chant saying there was no need to expend energy on a “thing” that is yet to come to life. He said he would rather talk of the MDC, which has contested zanu-pf in national elections than give credence to something that was non-existent.
In September this year, expelled zanu-pf members who included Rugare Gumbo, Kudakwashe Bhasikiti and Didymus Mutasa claimed that plans were afoot for the launch of a party called People First. However, another expelled member Temba Mliswa who has since fallen out of favour with the group later poured scorn on the project saying it would suffer the same fate as Dr Simba Makoni’s Mavambo Project.
He said the People First project only existed on the pages of the private media, but was physically non-existent. The President hailed the attendance of foreign diplomats accredited to Zimbabwe at the conference, saying their presence must have irked the opposition MDC, which would have preferred them to snub the event.
In his closing remarks, Mugabe said 56 foreign diplomats bore witness to the robust and peaceful deliberations at the conference. British Ambassador to Zimbabwe Mrs Catriona Laing was among diplomats who attended the zanu-pf conference.
“We don’t know yet where we are going next. The conference discussed and debated robustly. I understand that this conference was well attended by a record number of diplomats. “I understand, practically all except one, 56 diplomats and I am sure it has mesmerised the MDC.
“One paper said ‘Broke zanu-pf flies 300 to Vic Falls’ they didn’t know that our people had pockets not carrying stones but money. They are working and next year, you will see many more things will come. It is the MDC that has run out of ideas.”