Former Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front provincial chairman for Masvingo Daniel Shumba formed his own political party called the United People’s Party on 24 June 2006.
The new party was, however, not connected with the United People’s Movement in which he and former Information Minister Jonathan Moyo had been said to be members of the national executive.
Shumba was one of the six ZANU-PF provincial chairmen who were fired after the Tsholotsho meeting at which they are reported to have planned to block Joice Mujuru from becoming ZANU-PF vice-president.
Only 800 people attended the launch of the party
Full cable:
Viewing cable 06HARARE764, FORMER ZANU-PF OFFICIAL LAUNCHES NEW OPPOSITION
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Reference ID |
Created |
Released |
Classification |
Origin |
VZCZCXRO1890
RR RUEHMR
DE RUEHSB #0764 1781533
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 271533Z JUN 06
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0255
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
RUEHUJA/AMEMBASSY ABUJA 1249
RUEHAR/AMEMBASSY ACCRA 1094
RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA 1255
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 0514
RUEHDK/AMEMBASSY DAKAR 0879
RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA 1307
RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 3678
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 1078
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 1717
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC//DHO-7//
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1464
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK//DOOC/ECMO/CC/DAO/DOB/DOI//
RUEPGBA/CDR USEUCOM INTEL VAIHINGEN GE//ECJ23-CH/ECJ5M//
C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 000764
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
AF/S FOR B. NEULING
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR C. COURVILLE
AFR/SA FOR E. LOKEN
COMMERCE FOR BECKY ERKUL
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/31/2011
SUBJECT: FORMER ZANU-PF OFFICIAL LAUNCHES NEW OPPOSITION
PARTY
Classified By: Ambassador Chris W. Dell under Section 1.4 b/d
¶1. (U) Daniel Shumba, a former ZANU-PF provincial chairman
for Masvingo, officially launched the United People,s Party
(UPP) on June 24 in Harare before a smaller than advertised
crowd of approximately 800 supporters. (N.B. Shumba was one
of the six provincial chairmen forced out of the ruling party
last year in connection with a botched attempt to back
Emmerson Mnangagwa over Joyce Mujuru as the second vice
president and heir apparent to succeed President Mugabe.)
Poloff and several other diplomats were in attendance at the
scheduled 9:00 a.m. launch, which did not get underway until
noon. The UPP,s party administrator told poloff that the
delay and the small crowd were due to the ruling party,s
interference with the prearranged chartered bus
transportation to the event.
¶2. (U) In well-received remarks to the crowd, Shumba, the
interim UPP president, blasted ZANU-PF for having condemned
Zimbabweans “to poverty, hunger and destitution” as a result
of Operation Murambatsvina, economic collapse and failed land
reform. Adding that the government had lost its legitimacy
to rule, Shumba called for it immediate resignation and new
and fair elections. Shumba laid out a near-term game plan
for the UPP, including a road show to all the provinces
before holding a national congress around July 31 to name an
interim executive team. The party would then contest local
government elections slated for August 2006.
¶3. (C) Comment: The UPP is not to be confused with Jonathan
Moyo’s United People’s Movement (UPM) but like the UPM its
ability to make an impact on Zimbabwe’s political scene is
doubtful. An egotistical businessman who lost his telecom
concession in the wake of his party suspension, Shumba would
seem to lack the financial wherewithal, public trust or
distinguishing message to attract meaningful support from an
opposition field still dominated by the Morgan Tsvangirai and
his anti-senate MDC faction.
DELL
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