Simon Khaya Moyo, Mudenda survive

By Nkosana Sibanda

Zanu-PF national chairperson, who is also interim spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo and Parly Speaker Jacob Mudenda, on Tuesday survived ouster after the politburo turned down requests from their respective provinces to have them suspended.

Also saved was Matabeleland  South Provincial Affairs minister Abednico Ncube and Small to Medium Scale Enterprises minister Sithembiso Nyoni.

Yesterday, Matabeleland South structures staged a last minute bid to oust Moyo and Ncube as the party congress kicked off in Harare by recommending the suspension of the two from the central committee and the politburo.

Acting provincial chairperson Rabelani Choeni, who took over from ousted Andrew Langa, confirmed the recommendations passed against Moyo and Ncube, adding that Moyo is also accused of failing to reign in suspended provincial chairpersons accused of fanning factionalism and bringing the name of the party into disrepute.

“Moyo failed to state his position even when word  was doing the round that he was working with Mujuru, hence we recommended his ouster. He also did not denounce factionalism and Mujuru, who is at the centre of accusations of plotting the ouster of President Mugabe,” he said.

He also accused Moyo of snubbing the First Lady Grace Mugabe’s national rallies, which he said was a sign that he was against her endorsement as first secretary of the women’s league.

Ncube’s sin is that he also ‘snubbed’ First Lady Grace Mugabe’s rallies and stands accused of ‘peddling falsehoods’, that the province was fully behind the ascension of Moyo to  the position of vice-president.

The move by the province to oust Moyo and Ncube follows the nomination of politburo member Naison Khutshwekhaya Ndlovu and Patrick Hove into the central committee, replacing Jeremiah Langa and Jabulani Phetshu, who were accused of vote-buying, leading to the nullification of the Insiza district election.

In Matabeleland North, the joint provincial council had recommended the ouster of Mudenda, Nyoni and three other central committee members for sponsoring demonstrations and disrupting provincial meetings.

Others were also accused of fanning factionalism.

Mujuru, who is accused of being behind the coup plot, might be on her way out after President Mugabe’s sentiments that he knew of the plot to un-seat him.

Some of the party officials who might join Mujuru on the sidelines are Nicholas Goche, Dzikamai Mavhaire, Lazarus Dokora and Ray Kaukonde, among other party officials. The Zimbabwe Mail