G40 steals party name
Tichaona Zindoga Political Editor
The rogue G40 cabal, which was ousted in the ruling Zanu-PF party last year through Operation Restore Legacy and is trying to regroup as an opposition party, has stolen the name “New Patriotic Front”, it has emerged.
The name belongs to a party led by Engineer Tendai Munyanduri, who last month rebranded his Progressive and Innovative Movement of Zimbabwe (PIMZ) and wrote to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) on January 23, advising of the change of name to the New Patriotic Front. In letters seen by The Herald, Eng Munyanduri also wrote to stakeholders announcing the change of the name.
Read part of the letter: “We would like to advise all stakeholders and supporters that we have rebranded our political party name from the Progressive & Innovative Movement of Zimbabwe (PIMZ) to The New Patriotic Front (TNPF). This is in line with our aspirations of desiring to transform Zimbabwe to become a new jewel of Africa and the world in general.”
But last week, the G40 cabal circulated a “consultation points” document under the name New Patriotic Front, in a bid to rally support for the fledgling project. Eng Munyanduri said he was shocked by the new development.
“I rebranded my political party to New Patriotic Front last month and wrote to ZEC to that effect. I appeared in (the local media) last month and I was surprised to read in The Sunday Mail that Mugabe, Grace and Mujuru want to use the same name. Maybe they have liked our name or are probably trying to join us,” he said.
Eng Munyanduri added: “NPF is home to all those who would like to see our country together with the international community excel. We believe in honesty, professionalism and integrity. We value excellence and have a passion to see our country excel.”
Eng Munyanduri said he would institute legal action if the G40 cabalists proceeded to use the name officially.
“We will talk to them to desist from using the name and take legal action if necessary,” he said.
It is understood that former President Robert Mugabe is pushing for the formation of an opposition party to be led by his former deputy, Dr Joice Mujuru and wife Mrs Grace Mugabe, among prominent G40 personalities such as Professor Jonathan Moyo and Patrick Zhuwao.
Our sister paper, The Sunday Mail reported at the weekend that “New Patriotic Front” had been brandished as a possible brand because the idea is to make it appear that the project was indigenous and Pan-African.
“A document has been crafted to that effect; to extol the virtues of Zimbabwe’s heroes because that is how a people comes together, around its heroes and myths, the paper cited a source. They will try to push forward the names of national heroes, which is where Mujuru comes in, even as they try to put back on track what is largely a self-serving agenda to grab power at all costs.”
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