The Sunday Mail
Those advocating for any particular tribe to lead Zimbabweans are offside and must shrink away from their divisive tendencies, Acting President Phelekezela Mphoko has said.
At a Zanu-PF provincial fundraising dinner in Bulawayo on Friday, Acting President Mphoko said: “Don’t look at the President as a Zezuru; look at him as our leader. Don’t look at us on tribal grounds, but as your leaders.
“Those who are saying there must be a certain tribe to lead the country are misplaced. There is nothing like that. We never fought the war on tribal grounds.”
He said focus should be on unity and accelerating development.
The dinner raised over US$50 000 for Zanu-PF’s 15th National People’s Conference in Victoria Falls from December 7 to 13, 2015.
Choppies supermarket chain group contributed US$10 000, with Mbokodo Abattoir and businessman Mr Gumede weighing in with US$10 000 and US$20 000, respectively.
Late Vice-President Dr Joshua Nkomo’s portrait was auctioned for US$900, and another of him with President Mugabe and Cdes Jason Ziyaphapha Moyo and George Silundika for US$1 000.
First Lady Amai Grace Mugabe’s photograph also went under the hammer for US$2 000; while a portrait of Dr Nkomo, Acting President Mphoko and Bulawayo Provincial Affairs Minister Eunice Moyo went for US$1 500.
Zanu-PF Secretary for Administration Dr Ignatius Chombo echoed Acting President Mphoko’s exhortation against tribalism, and criticised the private Press for misleading people about the Conference agenda. He also commended party’s Finance Secretary Dr Obert Mpofu for steering the portfolio efficiently.
“This Conference will evaluate how 2015 has gone … Why do you speculate on what we are going to talk about when we can tell you the truth for free?”
And in Harare, Zanu-PF Spokesperson Ambassador Simon Khaya Moyo told The Sunday Mail that the Conference would focus on the economy and state of the party.
He said a Dr Chombo-led team would visit the Conference venue next weekend.
“Eight sub-committees are doing all the preparatory work and these include committees for organisation, documentation, finance, information, transport and welfare, accreditation, health and entertainment. We are monitoring their work and everything is going according to plan.
“A few districts are mopping up their restructuring, but the majority of provinces have completed that exercise and are fully structured to attend the conference.” — Bulawayo Bureau-Sunday Mail Reporter
