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Bulawayo Bureau
Newly-formed Renewal Democrats Party of Zimbabwe leader Elton Mangoma has dismissed his own political party and the so-called People First project advanced by a cabal led by ousted former Vice President Dr Joice Mujuru, saying both have nothing to offer the people.

The former Energy and Power Development Minister in the inclusive Government said he had no plans to unite with Dr Mujuru’s planned party as the two could only make “two nothings”.

Mr Mangoma was speaking at the Bulawayo Press Club on Wednesday.

He said he was also baffled by other MDC factions which were entertaining plans of joining the Mujuru cabal.

“I have nothing personal against (Amai) Mujuru,” he said. “What I know is that before you have your own institution, you cannot join another non-institution because People First is not a political party.

“We don’t know what they stand for, we don’t know anything about them. How do you aspire to join something that is nothing when you are also nothing?

“I think we need to do the principles right.

“We create our own party first and when there is another party we want to join as a collective party, we decide freely and join them. But we can’t actually clamour and say let’s not form our own party and say let’s look at somebody else with nothing and have two nothings.”

Mr Mangoma said his party’s leadership was elected at a mini congress held on June 3 where a special group which was disgruntled by the MDC Renewal leadership met.

“Both the name and the logo have been chosen by our people,” he said. “A flying bird symbolises freedom. Some people think the MDC brand still has value, our view is that it no longer has value.

“If it still has value then it’s negative value, that is why we are making a clean break from it.,” Mangoma said.