SENIOR Zanu PF officials, formerly Zapu, have cleared the way for the party’s national chairman Simon Khaya Moyo to assume the post of second Vice-President without the need to go for a special congress, it has emerged.
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The position of second VP is traditionally reserved for former Zapu members in accordance with the 1987 Unity accord between the party and Zanu PF.
It became vacant in January this year with the death of John Nkomo.
Sources said central committee, politburo members and other senior Zanu PF officials, who used to be Zapu before the Unity accord, met in the Midlands last week, where they finally settled for Moyo as Nkomo’s successor.
They came from all over the country, but the meeting was dominated by those hailing from Matabeleland, the sources said.
A senior Zanu PF official from Matabeleland who attended the meeting said Moyo, whose chances were buoyed by securing a Zanu PF victory in Matabeleland South, shrugged off a potential challenge from Home Affairs minister Kembo Mohadi and former deputy Senate president Khutshwekhaya Ndlovu.
“The matter did not go to a vote because it was apparent that Moyo would easily romp to victory had we gone ahead with an election,” he said.
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Another official said the candidate for VP had to be agreed first as it was not automatic that Moyo assume it.
The official said Mugabe was likely to be informed of the decision made by the former Zapu cardrés this week before making his final decision together with other members of the presidium.
Moyo yesterday professed ignorance about the meeting and its resolution to push him up.
“I don’t know anything about that,” he said.
Another senior politburo member Sikhanyiso Ndlovu initially said he had no comment before saying he also knew nothing about the meeting.
Zanu PF spokesperson, Rugare Gumbo, said it was only Mugabe who could make a comment on such an issue.
