The Congress of the People (Cope) needed to reconnect with its people, the party's deputy president, Mbhazima Shilowa said on Sunday during the launch of his presidential campaign.

"We have let our people down. Over the past year we took our eyes off the ball and disappeared from important national political debates," he told Cope followers at a campaign rally at North Crest in Mthatha.

"We were so consumed in the internal battles that characterised our party and lost the voter along the way."

Shilowa told the crowd that Cope members had let their "political past" catch up with them and called for a new leadership that respects the party's agenda.

"The new leadership must concentrate on building unity and embrace all members of Cope," he said.

"Let us disagree but hold hands... Our most immediate mission must be to craft a vision that puts the party at the centre of South African politics."

Shilowa said that women, the youth and interest groups were crucial to the strength of the movement and called on party delegates to "board the Shilowa Express".

His campaign comes after he received unopposed nominations from 600 branches during a provincial general council in the Eastern Cape over the weekend.

Shilowa would use the next three weeks to campaign for the top job in the party ahead of the national congress scheduled for later this month.