BULAWAYO – The National People’s Party (NPP) led by Joice Mujuru has been rocked by mass resignations following the party’s dismal showing in the July 30 general elections.
ZimLive learnt Wednesday that Mujuru has received over a dozen resignation letters from top party leaders who are now likely to join the MDC.
Some indicated that Zimbabwe was a two-party state and NPP did not feature in that equation.
The whole Matabeleland North provincial party has quit.
The party’s vice president, Samuel Sipepa Nkomo, had already tendered his resignation after announcing he was retiring from active politics.
So far, the list of those who have resigned includes Dzikamai Mavhaire who was national chairman; Jeffryson Chitando the party’s secretary for information and publicity; Philani Gama a national executive member; Obert Manduna a national executive member; David Moyo the Bulawayo provincial chairman; Nkosinathi Hove Mpofu the Bulawayo provincial organising secretary; Mongiwa Kabelo Moyo the Bulawayo provincial youth treasurer and Mkhululi Mafusi the Bulawayo provincial youth vice chairman.
Most of these members did not cite reasons why they were leaving but thanked Mujuru for the opportunity to serve and wished the party well.
Gama, a former national executive member, said: “It is clear Zimbabwe is now a two-party state and it’s either you are Zanu PF or MDC and I personally can’t be Zanu PF.”
The whole Matabeleland North Provincial Working Committee tendered in its resignation. The province is led by Howard Phangwana as chairman; Annastacia Moyo as vice chair; Bright Mvanya as secretary general; Roseline Nkomo as treasurer; Donald Shoko as secretary for information and publicity; Lameck Ndlovu as organising secretary; Rachel Malunjwa as chairperson of the women’s wing and Bernard Ncube as chairperson of the youth wing.
The province said it had made efforts to engage the NPP leadership during and after the elections, having also written directly to the same and expecting some answers but were not satisfied with the responses given.
“We note with concern that nothing was resolved save for the fact that some top leadership distanced themselves from all what the party had committed to do prior to elections,” a statement announcing the mass resignation said.
The statement added: “Despite alerting you on the sad state of affairs in the province where there are mass resignations and defections, we feel your delay in addressing this… is just a delaying tactic that is meant to buy time while you leave us at provincial level burning from supporter rage.
“Because of the above, we therefore revoke our membership from NPP and resign from the party and positions that came with it. We wish the party and its leadership all the best in its endeavors.”
Mujuru, a former Vice President of Zimbabwe who was jettisoned from Zanu PF in 2014, is facing the fight of his political career to keep her party together as the despondency grows.
