Zimbabwe's ex VP, Mujuru, forms new party

Former Zimbabwean Vice President, Joice Mujuru, who fell out of favour with president Robert Mugabe and expelled from the government two years ago has formed a new party.

Mujuru on Wednesday said the new party, People First, had been registered with the Zimbabwean Election Commission.

She was ousted from her position as vice president in 2014 on accusations that she had plotted to kill Mugabe and for creating a division in the ruling party ZANU-PF.

She was not given a chance to defend herself before the constitution was hurriedly changed to eliminate the clause about the need for a woman vice-president.

The sixty-year-old has since been replaced by Emmerson Mnangagwa, one of Mugabe’s trusted allies, nicknamed “the Crocodile” for his ruthlessness.

Before being expelled, she had served in all ministerial posts in government since the country’s independence in 1980.

In September 2015, Mujuru publicly announced her intentions to politically challenge the head of state.

In power since 1980, the Zimbabwean president who will celebrate 92 years on Sunday, is expected to stand again for election in 2018.