The two were recently expelled from parliament, following the notification by Zanu (PF) to the Speaker, Jacob Mudenda, that they no longer represented the interests of the party.
Both Mliswa and Mutasa have vowed to stand as independent candidates in imminent by- elections.
Senior Zapu officials told The Zimbabwean in Bulawayo that the party had already formally informed its structures in the respective constituencies to start campaigning for the former Zanu (PF) politicians.
“Zapu has got a very good support base in Hurungwe as well as most parts of Mashonaland West province. We want all our supporters to rally behind the candidature of the Gammatox guys. We sympathize with this group because they are raising the same issues we have been concerned with before we ditched Zanu (PF),” said a senior Zapu official who cannot be named because he is not authorised to speak to the press.
The word Gammatox is now widely used to refer to former vice president Joyce Mujuru’s allies, who were ruthlessly purged from the party before last year’s congress on unsubstantiated allegations of plotting to unseat President Robert Mugabe.
The official said once the dates for the by-elections have been announced, Zapu leadership will jointly launch the official campaign in the two constituencies with the candidates.
Addressing journalists at the Bulawayo Press club last year, Zapu president Dumiso Dabengwa said the pro-Mujuru faction has approached Zapu with a view of working together to dislodge Zanu (PF) from power.
Post published in: Mugabe Succession