Former President Robert Mugabe has hailed Retired Brigadier General Ambrose Mutinhiri, who resigned from Parliament and Zanu PF last Friday, for taking a ‘bold step’, saying Zimbabwe needed men and women of principle who fight to preserve the legacy of the liberation struggle.
In a statement released by the National Patriotic Front, a political outfit comprised of former Zanu PF members ousted during the November 14 military coup, Mugabe met Mutinhiri on Friday last week before the latter’s unexpected resignation from the ruling party and parliament.
According to NPF statement, “President Mugabe congratulated Cde Mutinhiri for taking a bold move and said that Zimbabwe needed men and women of principle who should fight to preserve the legacy of the liberation struggle.
“President Mugabe said that as Zimbabwe prepares for elections, “everyone should fight to ensure that people are free to belong to parties of their choice and that there is no interference by the Army or those that would want to resort to violence as a means of getting votes.”
In his resignation letter dated 2 March 2018 and addressed to Zanu PF secretary for administration, Obert Mpofu and National Assembly speaker Jacob Mudenda, the former Zipra commander cited the unconstitutional overthrowing of President Mugabe and the capture of government and state institutions by the Zimbabwe Defence Forces as some of the reasons behind his resignation.
“I leave Zanu PF because of my principled stance that I cannot be part of an institution that harbors power usurpers bent on subjugating our people,” part of the letter to Mpofu reads.
According to Mutinhiri, consultations to form NPF started on the 19th of November, further revealing that 50 Zanu PF members had caucassed to oppose the motion to impeach Mugabe on that eventful day he finally succumbed to pressure and tendered his resignation.
Mutinhiri has since been installed as the Founding President and Presidential Candidate of the National Patriotic Front (NPF).
