Zimbabwe First Party (ZimFirst) has with immediate effect suspended founder and president of the party, Dr Maxwell Shumba, citing incompetence and dictatorial tendencies from the United States based opposition leader.
Shumba, who pulled out of Coalition of Democrats a few days ago alleging that the leader of the coalition, Elton Mangoma was overriding his authority by meddling in ZimFirst party politics, has been suspended for six months pending termination from the party.
The National Executive Council cited dictatorial tendencies, attitude, misdirection and indiscriminate hiring and firing of pivotal ZimFirst staff as alleged by the suspension letter.
“The reasons for this suspension include misdirection of the party, dictatorial attitude and indiscriminate hiring and firing of Zimfirst’s pivotal staff.
“The NEC also noted with growing alarm Dr Shumba’s willful violation of the party constitution in which he damaged the party’s reputation by defamatory name calling of other party principals, direct attacks on opposition parties and a consistent regressive attitude, incongruent with party objectives.
“As a result of this unprogressive manner the NEC resolved to suspend Dr Shumba amid a growing realization that Dr Shumba’s is not a registered voter, who has been in Zimbabwe less than five times since the registration of the party,” said the party spokesperson Kudakwashe Chitsora, in a statement.
The National Council also noted that Dr Shumba cannot provide clarity or his citizenship status and has no intention of honouring the hard work of his party members as proved by the fact that he has not registered to vote.
Derek Lupemba, whom Shumba alleges to be a puppet of Mangoma, and was the party’s Vice President has been elevated to the President’s post of ZimFirst party.
