Paradza Denies Links With People First

September 18, 2015 Former journalist and Zanu PF MP Kindness Paradza says he does not support ex-vice-president Joice Mujuru who last week indicated she wants to form a new party to challenge President Robert Mugabe or whoever will be the ruling party’s presidential election candidate in 2018.

Paradza was reacting to a story in the Zimbabwe Independent last week which listed him as one of Mujuru’s allies on the basis on his suspension with 38 others who largely supported her in June following a Zanu PF politburo meeting. In his feedback, he claimed his suspension had nothing to do with Muj

“I have no links whatsoever and neither am I a supporter of Dr Mujuru and her People First movement,” Paradza said yesterday. “The story has caused damage to my political career.”

Paradza, a former Mashonaland West secretary for administration, was suspended for two years in June, together with 38 other senior party officials, including former and current cabinet ministers such as Webster Shamu, Sylvester Nguni and Andrew Langa.

Most of the officials were suspended for reportedly being aligned to Mujuru, who was accused of corruption, and trying to topple or assassinate Mugabe.

Mujuru and other senior Zanu PF officials were expelled from the party following an acrimonious congress last December rocked by succession infighting and subsequent unprecedented purges, a process which has led to the emergence of People First.

Zimbabwe Independent