Vicious infighting within the ruling Zanu-PF party saw the expulsion of three more officials, including a former Government minister. Two other officials were also suspended for five years and four others for two years for alleged indiscipline.
Former Minister of State in former Vice President Joice Mujuru’s Office Mr Sylvester Nguni, who was serving a three-year suspension, was expelled by the Central Committee.
Mr Nguni is the National Assembly member for Mhondoro-Mubaira and his expulsion from the party is expected to trigger a recall from the Legislature.
He was also a Central Committee member for Mashonaland West Province.
Zanu PF spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo confirmed the development after a Central Committee meeting in Harare yesterday.
“Also expelled is Christwell Mutematsaka who was a Central Committee member from Mashonaland Central and Batsirai Musona, who was also the provincial secretary for security in Mashonaland Central Province,” he said.
“There are also members who were suspended for five years and these are: Godfrey Tsenengamu, the former provincial chairperson for the Youth League in Mashonaland Central, Paul Rwodzi, who was the provincial secretary for administration in the Youth League in the same province.
“The others were suspended for two years and these are Chiratidzo Mukarati, who was the Harare provincial chairlady, Godwills Masimirembwa, former Harare provincial chairperson, Happiness Nyakuedzwa, who was the provincial chairperson of the Women’s League for Manicaland and Danny Musukuma, former Harare provincial secretary for Legal Affairs.”
The expulsion and suspensions follow a similar fate that befell Mujuru and other former senior officials such as Didymus Mutasa and Rugare Gumbo. Khaya Moyo said the Central Committee confirmed the positions of acting chairpersons and substantive ones.
Bulawayo is chaired by Dennis Ndlovu, Harare – Charles Tawengwa, Manicaland – Samuel Undenge, Mashonaland Central – Dickson Mafios, Mashonaland East – Biggie Matiza, Mashonaland West – Ephraim Chengeta and Masvingo – Ezra Chidzamira.
Rabelani Choeni chairs Matabeleland South, while Kizito Chivamba chairs Midlands and Richard Moyo (Matabeleland North).
Khaya Moyo said there were resolutions made by all the provinces that would be presented at the party’s 15th Annual National People’s Conference in Victoria Falls.
“All the provinces supported the President and First Secretary of the Party as the sole candidate for the position of President and First Secretary of the party and the country at the 2018 elections and beyond,” he said.
“This was the position from all the provinces. It was unanimous. The Women’s League has gone further through resolutions that were read by the National Political Commissar (Saviour Kasukuwere) that they continue to support the First Lady as secretary for the Women’s League for the current term and beyond.
“They also resolved that there was need for gender parity where they want the Zanu-PF Constitution to be aligned with the national Constitution where it says there must be 50-50 representation in all positions.
“The women also resolved that they want the party Constitution to be amended and reinstate the previous position that one of the Vice Presidents must be a woman.”
Zanu PF’s ambitious Young Turks, commonly referred to as the Generation 40 (G40), are said to be backing the First Lady in the war to succeed her increasingly-frail husband, and not Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
The G40 are also agitating that at least one of the party’s two vice presidents should be a woman — a move insiders say is designed to block the Midlands godfather’s alleged presidential aspirations.
The quota system making room for women was expediently discarded late last year as former Vice President Joice Mujuru was being hounded out of the party on untested allegations of plotting to oust and kill Mugabe.
