Mujuru appointment illegal

By Lance Guma
11 August 2005

Former Zanu PF MP for Zvishavane and Central Committee member Pearson Mbalekwa, has said the appointment of Joyce Mujuru as Vice President was unconstitutional and remains illegal to this day. He says it was obvious to many party members that former speaker of parliament, Emmerson Mnangagwa, was going to win a democratic vote for the Vice Presidency, so the politiburo illegally altered the party's constitution to appease Mujuru's faction. Mbalekwa bemoaned the lack of democracy in the party and said many other party members are also considering tendering their resignations.

Citing Operation Murambatsvina as his main reason for quitting Zanu PF, he accused State Security Minister Didymus Mutasa of lying to the world that they had consulted party members on the operation. Mbalekwa says the Zanu PF constitution says nothing about destroying the homes of poor people and believes government is simply preparing the groundwork for elections to the senate. He believes Mugabe wants another majority in the senate and is trying to drive opposition supporters into the rural areas so that he has a free reign in the cities.

Mbalekwa says reports linking him to the MDC are not true. He says he believes there is room for a third force in the country because the MDC and Zanu PF are failing to find middle ground.