A new party, Ngaapinde Hake Mukomana (NHM), loosely translated to “let the young man in” in English has reportedly been formed.
A letter circulating on social media suggests the party notified the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) that it will contest future elections.
The party indicated that its address was 95 Jason Moyo Avenue, Harare, a building that houses different retail shops.
The letter signed by the purported new party’s secretary-general John Pindura claimed that a Frank Mandipa was their leader.
Ngaapinde Hake Mukomana (NHM) is a campaign slogan for the opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) led by Nelson Chamisa.
CCC deputy spokesperson Gift “Ostalos” Siziba said the purported letter was an attempt by ZANU PF to derail the CCC. Siziba said:
It is a sign that ZANU PF is desperate. It’s foolish for ZANU PF to think that they can hijack the revolution by using the NHM.
NHM is not a trademark of the CCC, but just a philosophical mass mobilisation watchword.
The attempt to register a party in the name of our watchword is a sign that CCC is a popular party.
ZANU PF lacks intellectual rigour and that is why they are always following us trying to hijack every idea we have. We lead them in terms of ideas.
We will not be worried about that anyway. We will always have new ideas.
Effie Ncube, a Bulawayo-based political commentator, said the move to register a slogan associated with CCC as a name for another party could have been triggered by the performance of Chamisa’s party in the by-elections.
CCC won the majority of local government and House of Assembly seats that were up for grabs in the recently held by-elections.
ZANU PF director of communications Tafadzwa Mugwadi yesterday said the ruling party had no business sponsoring opposition parties.
He added that the formation of new parties was testimony that Zimbabwe was indeed a multiparty democratic state as said by President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
ZEC spokesperson Jasper Mangwana said he could not comment on the latest developments.