By A Correspondent- New political outfit, Freedom Alliance unveiled its leaders at a congress held at White City Stadium in Bulawayo at the weekend.
The congress ran on Friday and Saturday.
Public policy and development expert Samukele Hadebe was voted president, while former Peace and Reconciliation minister Moses Mzila Ndlovu, who is also the leader of Alliance for National Salvation (Ansa) is one of the deputy presidents.
Other deputy presidents are former Mthwakazi Republic Party vice-president Presia Ngulube and Senzeni Mpofu.
Nkayi businessman Mqondisi Ndebele was voted national chairperson, while Beauty Ndlovu will deputise him.
Njabulo Ngwenya was voted the secretary-general, Kauhelo Sebata is the senior deputy secretary-general, and Sipho Moyo was voted the deputy secretary for administration, and Nhlanhla Ncube clinched the deputy secretary-general (communications) post, and the treasurer-general is Nomathemba Ndebele.
Freedom Alliance was formed by different stakeholders in Matabeleland who include individual citizens, civic society members, political parties, the diaspora community and church organisations.
The outfit maintains that it was not a political party, adding that it sought to address governance and development imbalances that have affected Matabeleland region since independence through mobilising votes for people with the region’s interests at heart regardless of political affiliation ahead of the 2023 elections.
Ncube said the Freedom Alliance was formed soon after the Matabeleland people’s convention held from May 9 to 14 this year.
“It includes people from various walks of life, organisations and those from diverse cultural backgrounds who came together to form Freedom Alliance,” Ncube said.
He said their target voters were people from Matabeleland and Midlands regions.
“The alliance is not a political party; hence everyone retains their positions in their political parties. They remain members, but they become an alliance to harvest the efforts and energies to see the end of Matabeleland marginalisation, poverty, abuse and resource exploitation,” he said.