Gono blames factionalism for disqualification from Senate

Former Central Bank governor Gideon Gono has blamed his disqualification for the Manicaland Senate seat left vacant by former politburo member Kumbirai Kangai on factionalism within the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front.

He said he did not want to break any law and would wait his turn even if this meant having to wait for nine more years.

“It is clear that someone from outside the province is playing games hoping that they can torpedo the ZANU-PF politburo and Manicaland Province as well as the Buhera District’s choice.

“Fortunately, I have all the patience in the world to wait for whoever needs to do their job to do it even if it means waiting till 2018, 2023 or beyond. No one from outside Buhera can hope to replace those born in Buhera,” he said.

The decision to disqualify Gono was made by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission which is headed by former Supreme Court judge Rita Makarau.

Makarau said Gono could not contest the seat because he was not registered as a voter in Manicaland. He is registered in Harare. She said though the ZEC could transfer a voter, the legal framework did not currently exist.

There are ostensibly two main factions within the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Patriotic Front, one led by Vice-President Joice Mujuru and the other by Justice Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Mujuru recently said she did not lead any faction and belonged to the Mugabe faction. This was the same sentiment Gono echoed.

“No amount of blackmail though can change my stance of remaining out of all factions except that of and led by the President and First Secretary of our Party, Cde R G Mugabe and all that he stands for. I will never appease anyone by joining a faction in order to fast-track my confirmation and swearing in because no appeasement the world over has ever bought permanent peace. So, let the law take its course as long as no one is seeking to change my gender, or place of birth.

“The race to succeed a sitting president – even to position oneself for it while he is still there reflects very badly when pitied against our culture and is nothing but vulturous; opposition parties should do that not a ruling party. The practice divides investors and splits all branches of government into enclaves of inefficiency to the detriment of professionalism and the ordinary man and woman in the street. Besides, factionalism breeds corruption and tolerance of both corruption and mediocrity. We must all shun that and rally behind the President Mugabe chete. If it means that for rejecting factionalism I will be kept out of the political structures, so be it.”

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