Anti-riot police in Marondera on Monday endured a torrid time with war veterans and Zanu PF youths baying for Mashonaland East provincial chair Ray Kaukonde’s head, while Matabeleland South passed a vote of no confidence in chairperson Andrew Langa.
The drama in Marondera took place a few hours before Langa was booted out in Matabeleland South after 30 members of the provincial executive moved a motion of no confidence in him for alleged ‘vote buying’ and attempting to sabotage a rally that was organised for First Lady Grace Mugabe after she was nominated to the post of the party’s women’s league secretary.
Langa is now the sixth provincial chairperson to bite the dust following the ousting of Themba Mliswa (Mash West), Jason Machaya (Midlands), Amos Midzi (Harare) and Callisto Gwanetsa (Masvingo) and Kaukonde.
Langa could not be reached on his mobile phone for comment yesterday.
However, sources told The Zimbabwe Mail that Zanu PF politburo member, Abigail Damasane, who is leading Matabeleland South’s preparations for the party’s congress next month, blocked initial attempts by war veterans during a meeting with the provincial executive to discuss the possibility to pass a motion of no confidence in Langa.
Langa, who is also the minister of Sports, Arts and Culture, was part of the meeting.
However, after the meeting, a group of 30 members of the provincial executive met and wrote a petition passing a vote of no confidence in Langa, who had already left.
The motion was reportedly proposed by one of the provincial executive members, Matthew Siqoza Ndlovu, with vice-chairperson Rabeleni Tshoeni immediately asked to take over from Langa.
Langa is also alleged to have issued statements to the press on choices for the party’s presidium without consulting the provincial co-ordinating committee which put the province in bad light as it looked as
though it was siding with one of the factions in Zanu PF.
He is on record as saying the province backs current party national chairperson Simon Khaya Moyo for the post of vice-president. He is also accused of walking out of a rally that was being addressed by the First Lady in Bulawayo during her recent tour of the Matabeleland region, which the provincial executive felt was being ‘disrespectful’ towards her.
In Marondera, the veterans of the liberation struggle supported by youths drawn from Harare and parts of Mashonaland East gave police a sweltering moment as they threatened to bulldoze into the party offices to chuck out anyone linked to the embattled Kaukonde.
The police, numbering over 500 and in full anti-riot gear and equiped by two water cannons, endured the scotching sun to stop the demonstrators from entering the provincial offices that were under lock and key.
In a bid to shut out the demonstrators, police locked the main gate while two cannons were strategically positioned inside the provincial offices with hundreds of armed cops and police dogs patrolling the area to maintain peace.
The youths in anger brought down the perimeter fence but police denied them access.
After failing to get inside, demonstrators declined to retreat, braving the intense heat of the mid-morning summer sun, at the same time singing anti-Kaukonde songs.
The mob then targeted the main entrance that was under heavy guard from police, both inside and outside, even shoving the cops aside. The cops came under a barrage of heavy verbal attack form the protestors, who labelled them ‘Kaukonde’s attack dogs’.
The group used force and attempted to bring down the main gate, but police moved in fast to stop the protestors.
A youth brought a steel bar which was then used to destroy the gate to allow people inside.
Addressing the demonstrators, Chrispen Mashayamombe, a war veteran leader, said Kaukonde was no longer the provincial chairperson because he had disrespected the First Family.
The war veteran leader said Kaukonde had been going around the province claiming that President Robert Mugabe owed him a substantial amount of money.
“Kaukonde did not want Amai Grace Mugabe to address a rally in this province. Moreover, he is disrespectful and bragging to people that he lent President Mugabe some money. We want him to reveal the amount so that we give him back his money, and the source of the money should be known to us,” Mashayamombe said.
“We no longer need him and he should vacate these offices, lest the offices are written Kaukonde and Associates but as we all know, the offices belong to the party and we are the people of the party.”
Kaukonde is being jointly accused with Marondera East MP, Jeremiah Chiwetu, of fanning factionalism in the province.
The demonstrators passed a vote of confidence in all councillors in Marondera, saying they were imposed by Kaukonde.
The demonstrators appointed an interim executive that will see Patrick Makombe as the interim provincial chairperson, to be deputised by Tangai Hove.
The new interim women’s league provincial boss is Lym Gororo while Patricia Ruzawe shall deputise him.
Norman Guramatunhu will be the new youth league boss, with Samson Chapfika appointed as his deputy. The Zimbabwe Mail
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