Sparks fly over vice-presidency

Ndlovu took a thinly veiled swipe at Mpofu whom he accused of deserting PF- ZAPU to join Zanu (PF),thus making him ineligible to fill the post left vacant by the death of Joseph Msika. In terms of the 1987 Unity Accord, the post of co-vice president is reserved for a candidate from the late Joshua Nkomos PF-ZAPU.

For example, if one was not a member of the party or had crossed over to another party, then it is anathema to claim to have been and to seek nomination and election, Ndlovu said in reference to Mpofu in a statement last Friday.

Mpofu defected to Zanu (PF) in the 1980s and has since never seen eye to eye with his former comrades. Senior officials say Mpofu was not a member of PF-ZAPU at independence in 1980 and therefore should not even be eyeing the vice-presidency.

The Mines Minister, who is also the legislator for Umguza, enraged senior PF- ZAPU stalwarts when he told villagers in Nyamandlovu recently that some candidates for vice-presidency did not have grassroots support. He accused them of never having won adding won ward elections and adding for good measure that they did not even have the support of their wives.

Ndlovu also attacked Mathema, whom he accused of being a sell-out during the liberation struggle.

If one was once so unreliable to have escaped from detention to sell out fellow detained comrades, and one has been so unreliable as to have become a renegade in the armed struggle almost destroying Zipra and Zanla, then one must examine himself before seeking high office, Ndlovu said. He stressed that it was not Zanu (PF) culture for people to nominate themselves for positions. The party constitution does not provide for self-nomination to high office except provincial and district positions, declared Ndlovu.