By Felex Share
Zanu-PF has a robust constitution and secretary for Youth Affairs Pupurai Togarepi’s issue will be dealt with in line with laid-down procedures not individuals’ desires, the party’s spokesperson, Simon Khaya Moyo, has said.
Some members of the Youth League on Monday claimed to have passed a vote of no confidence on Togarepi for “violating the party constitution, dishonesty, gross misconduct and failing to discharge functions of their office”.
Two members of the executive — Lewis Matutu (secretary for administration) and his deputy Sibongile Sibanda — also had votes of no confidence passed against them.
Togarepi yesterday said his fate lay in the hands of President Mugabe who appointed him into the Zanu-PF Politburo.
Khaya Moyo said due diligence would be done on Togarepi’s matter.
“We are a party with a very robust constitution and that constitution encompasses processes which must be followed whenever a situation affecting the party arises,” he said.
“We have to hear what they are saying and the processes will take course; the processes are there.
“This is a matter for the Youth League and as far as I am told, they met yesterday and I haven’t got their statement yet. We don’t tell any wing not to issue any statement. It is from there that we can now look at their matter as they bring their report.”
Togarepi said: “At this juncture, I am not at liberty to discuss the details before briefing my President, who is the appointing authority. I have no details as to what transpired because I left the meeting early. I requested Cde Kudzai Chipanga (deputy secretary) to chair in my absence. I know politics is a hard-hat area and I blame nobody.”
Some members of the Youth League yesterday held a Press conference to announce the “vote of no confidence” against Togarepi.
They were led by Chipanga and secretary for information and publicity Evelyn Mpofu, who repeatedly mumbled as she read out the Press statement.
She said Togarepi had contravened Article 28 subsection 262 of the Zanu-PF constitution.
Asked to clarify incidents where Togarepi had gone against the constitution, Chipanga said they were not for media consumption.
“On that one of misconduct, I think you are keen to know the nitty-gritties,” he said.
“We are not going to divulge the nitty-gritties to the media. Those are partially internal. We have advised you about those constitutional sections which have been breached.”
Pressed on the legality of their move, Chipanga responded: “That’s up to the President or the Politburo to decide, but the Youth League has expressed its intention. They have lost confidence in him despite the fact that he was appointed by His Excellency.
“The state will remain the same; that the Youth League has lost confidence in his leadership. He was appointed, I agree, but he was appointed to supervise us. But we, who are being supervised, have lost confidence in him.”
Journalists also took Chipanga to task on why he was refusing to divulge the details of the votes of no confidence yet the youths had called for a media briefing.
He retorted: “When we do such disciplinary processes, Cde journalist we do not do such processes so that the media will benefit from them.
“We do such processes for the benefit of the party not the media. I am glad that you are now finding nothing to write (about).”
Sources yesterday maintained that the decision by Chipanga and his team was premised on the failure by Togarepi to rein in his son, Gabriel of ZILIWACO Trust, who was recently expelled from the party.
He was expelled alongside other youth leaders during last week’s Politburo meeting for allegedly disrespecting President Mugabe and First Lady Grace Mugabe. The Herald
