BY DESMOND CHINGARANDE
THE opposition Zimbabwe People’s Party (ZPP) has accused the newly-formed People’s Party, led by former Zanu PF Cabinet minister Walter Mzembi, of stealing its party name and symbols.
In a letter of complaint to Mzembi, ZPP spokesperson Jaison Midzi said the use of similar names, logo, colours and letterheads by Mzembi’s party was not the best way to enter into
politics.
“We note with concern the use of our party name by your new political formation which you and your team decided to call People’s Party (PP). We take this to be poor political practice which will definitely affect the voters in any future elections that our party ZPP and your new party PP will participate in,” Midzi said.
“Use of similar names, logo, colours and letterhead concepts as you and your team adopted is not the best way to go into politics, especially when you want voters to have clear choices of candidates on a ballot paper. Our party Zimbabwe People’s Party entered Zimbabwe’s political scene in June 2019 while your party People’s Party entered the scene in November 2019. I also note that our party, Zimbabwe People’s Party, completed notification in October before your formation came into being.”
Midzi further said they took time as founders and directors to do a thorough search physically in books and all media before coming up with the name of his party.
Mzembi’s opposition party, , unveiled this week, has dismissed allegations of stealing ZPP’s identity, saying this is a case of disruption by a little-known political grouping.
PP spokesperson Lloyd Msipa said the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) should have raised alarm if they had used the same party symbols.
“Beyond the fact that the claim is ludicrous, People’s Party and Zimbabwe People’s Party are as different as night and day. All political parties notify Zec of their existence, who in turn carry out the necessary checks and acknowledge,” he said.
“The fact that they acknowledged as per their November 2019 letter to the People’s Party means they didn’t have an issue with it. This is just a case of disruption by the little-known Zimbabwe People’s Party.”
