By A Correspondent- Zipra Veterans Association member Jethro Mkwananzi has accused late former President Robert Mugabe and late former Vice President Joshua Nkomo of misleading the nation in signing the unity accord in 1987.

He said it was sad that Nkomo, despite being ZAPU’s number one, chose to be number three in Zanu PF.

He said this has continued to be a template for all the leaders in Matabeleland to shy away from being Presidents and opt for either second or third vice presidents.

“The fact that after the unity accord the symbol of a cock embedded at the Zanu PF headquarters and the name of the party remained the same are signs that Zapu which was purported to be a partner is nonexistent in the matrix,” he said.

He said this is despite its immense contribution to the liberation war which forced the Rhodesian government to the Lancaster House negotiations in 1979.

He questioned why Nkomo signed the Unity Accord when he was a national leader and opted to be number three in Zanu PF?

“This is now affecting us in that no one from this side should aspire to be the first person,” Mkwananzi said.

“The unity accord stipulated that number three, National Chairman, secretary for women’s affairs, a position then held by Thenjiwe Lesabre and the Home Affairs ministry, were given to Zapu,” he said.

“But to date, all this appears to be dissolving, and there is no one from Zapu holding those positions which were entitlement to Zapu at the unity accord signing.”

He lamented that there is no longer a Zapu Vice President, a Zapu national Chair, a Zapu secretary for women’s affairs and a Zapu Home affairs minister. This shows that the unity accord is not what people were told it is.

Zanu PF has one Vice President from Zanu PF side, Constantino Chiwenga after the Zapu side VP Kembo Mohadi was forced to resign from government following a spate of sexual scandals.

The secretary for women’s affairs post is held by Zanu PF cadre Mabel Chinomona, while the Chairpersonship is Oppah Muchinguri also from Zanu PF side.

The Home Affairs ministry is under Zanu PF member Kazembe Kazembe, a development which has disbanded the Unity accord’s significance between the two liberation political movements.

-Bulawayo24