The long-vacant position of vice president of Zimbabwe is now becoming a bone of contention within Zanu PF as party stalwarts position themselves to take over despite an unwritten rule that the position is set aside for someone from the then PF Zapu.
It is believed that there are some secret maneuvers by some Zanu PF bigwigs to fill the vacancy despite the gentleman’s agreement that is understood to have been crafted by President Robert Mugabe and then PF Zapu leader, Joshua Nkomo, before the signing of the unity accord in1987.
Some of those said to be jostling for the position are Justice Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa and Presidential Affairs Minister, Didymus Mutasa.
According to the state-run Herald newspaper, Zanu PF chairman, Simon Khaya Moyo, who is tipped to become the second vice president, on Monday made it clear that the unwritten tenets of the unity accord still hold.
Said Khaya Moyo, “Let me repeat this in case you did not get me, the Unity Accord signed on December 22, 1987, by our two great icons and endorsed by the then two congresses is irreversible. It resembles the unity of Zimbabwe.
“It stands for history and it also stands to applaud the exemplary leadership of President Mugabe and Joshua Nkomo.”
There is growing concern as to why Mugabe has not appointed Khaya Moyo and this is said to be playing into the intra-party divisions.
However, a former PF Zapu cadre, Max Mkandla, told Studio 7 he is confident that Mugabe will appoint Khaya Moyo in December when the party holds its congress.
“There should be no question as to whether Khaya Moyo should be the next Vice President, it should be a question,” he said.
According to Article 5 of the Zanu-PF Constitution, President Mugabe has the power to fill the VP post without waiting for congress.