Mphoko fears Unity Accord collapse

Politics
Vice-President Phelekezela Mphoko says the Unity Accord between PF Zapu and Zanu is now under threat due to jostling for positions in the ruling party.

Vice-President Phelekezela Mphoko says the Unity Accord between PF Zapu and Zanu is now under threat due to jostling for positions in the ruling party.

By Tatenda Chitagu

The Unity Accord was signed by the late Vice-President Joshua Nkomo and President Robert Mugabe in 1987.

Mphoko said this while introducing Mugabe at the official opening of the 16th Zanu PF conference, which ended at Masvingo Showgrounds yesterday.

He said before introducing Mugabe, he wanted “to make a few remarks”, reminding delegates that this was not an elective congress.

“I would like to emphasise to you that this is an ordinary conference in accordance with our party Zanu PF’s constitution. It is not an elective conference and neither is it a congress. We are gathered here to review the party and government performance during 2016,” Mphoko said.

“We are not gathered here to talk about positions and to elect people to key new party positions. That is the work of the congress. We should aim for the best results and outcome of this conference in preparation for the 2018 general elections.”

Mphoko said the Unity Accord was being threatened by individualistic “factionalists, rebels and successionists” fighting for positions in the party.

“The unity of the people of Zimbabwe that you signed with the late Joshua Nkomo, which you keep on reminding us that on his deathbed, Nkomo emphasised the unity of the people of Zimbabwe under Zanu PF, is now under threat,” he said.

“That unity is now being threatened because this is the foundation of this unity that came from the great names like Herbert Chitepo and Jason Moyo when they formed the joint military command in Tanzania in 1972.”

He decried the belittling of Zapu, saying both parties (Zapu and Zapu ) jointly liberated the country.

“The Zanu PF constitution states very clearly that it was Zapu and Zanu that liberated Zimbabwe. The constitution states that it was these two parties together that liberated this country, not Zanu or Zapu alone,” Mphoko said.

“Therefore, the succession theory that is being mooted undermines the principles of unity that forms the foundation of Zanu PF as a revolutionary party.

“In fact, it exposes the spirit of individualism that is divorced from the ethos of unity and undermines the revolution and your leadership.”

He added that the line of command in Zanu PF was clearly designed.

“Anyone who falls out of that line and undermines the principles of the revolution is either a rebel, a factionalist, or a successionist,” Mphoko said

“People died and bled for the independence of this country, not as tribes or individuals, but as people of Zimbabwe. Therefore, this individualistic and opportunistic approach which is counter-revolutionary in nature should be resisted at all costs.”

The vice-president, a former Zapu official, has become a target of a faction aligned to his counterpart, Emmerson Mnangagwa, especially war veterans.

He is accused of being a member of the rival G40 faction that allegedly wants First Lady Grace Mugabe to succeed her husband.