News / Local
'Mugabe must appoint presidium'
20 Nov 2014 at 05:53hrs | Views
Zanu PF acting chairperson for Bulawayo, George Mlala, who is locked in a battle for the control of the provincial executive, yesterday said he was pressing for the amendment of the party's constitution to allow the leader of the political organisation to appoint all politburo members, including the second secretaries.
Addressing about 200 supporters after a march in solidarity with President Robert Mugabe and First Lady, Grace Mugabe, Mlala said some members of the party, especially those elected at the party's congress, were becoming "big headed" and undermining the authority of the party leader.
He said although in terms of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, the president has the power to appoint two persons "of his choice" to become vice-presidents in Zanu PF, the two second secretaries are elected at the party's congress, as well as the chairperson.
"My executive wants the party constitution to be changed so that the president and first secretary position can be elected at a congress and thereafter the president appoints the two vice-presidents and all the other politburo members."
He said the president should appoint his two deputies and a national chairperson in line with the Unity Accord of 1987.
Mlala is on record as saying President Mugabe already has the mandate to continue at the helm of the party and should be elected unopposed at the party's congress.
There have been suggestions within Zanu PF of the constitutional amendment to ensure the leader of the party is able to appoint people who are loyal to him and are able to assist him run the party.
This follows allegations by the First Lady and Zanu PF secretary for women's affairs designate, Grace Mugabe, of "incompetence" against the party's second secretary, Joice Mujuru and accusations that she has been plotting to remove President Mugabe from the helm of the party.
Meanwhile, Mlala also warned politburo member, Sikhanyiso Ndlovu, to stop interfering in provincial matters or risk suffering the same fate as expelled party information chief, Rugare Gumbo.
This follows Ndlovu's utterances in the media that Callistus Ndlovu and other top five members of the committee who received a vote of no confidence last week were still in charge as some of the signatures were "forged".
"I say to Sikhanyiso Ndlovu, we ask you as an elder not to play with the children," he said amid applause. "This is a provincial issue and politburo members should not interfere."
Mlala said Sikhanyiso should raise his concerns at the politburo meetings as interfering in provincial matters was one of the things that caused the demise of Gumbo, the party's information chief who was suspended from the party for five years and Energy and Power Development minister, Dzikamai Mavhaire, of Masvingo, who is also a politburo member, who has been given an ultimatum by party members in Masvingo to resign.
He said the march organised by Bulawayo citizens, William Nyathi and Norman Ngwenya, popularly known as 'Gushungo' in solidarity with the First Family had exposed the "suspended" leadership of the party in Bulawayo.
"We hear these two (Nyathi and Ngwenya) who are not even in Zanu PF structures wrote a letter to the provincial executive leadership three weeks ago informing it of the march but they sat on the letter," said Mlala.
"Its an embarrassment, it's a shame to these provincial leaders. I thank these young men for organising this march."
In her solidarity message after the march, a representative of the Zimbabwe Liberation War Collaborators Association, Joyce Ndlovu, said they were the ones who first approached the First Lady, to ask her to lead Zanu PF's women's league.
She said her association was behind the First Lady and her husband's going to the congress without being challenged.
"We must now take self-introspection and say Bulawayo must win in 2018," said Ndlovu, amid thunderous applause.
Speaking during the same event, the organiser of the march, Nyathi, described both President Mugabe and the First Lady as powerful leaders who do not condone "corruption which has destroyed the economy".
"Behind every successful man is a powerful woman," said Nyathi. "Leaders are appointed by God. The president was appointed by God."
Addressing about 200 supporters after a march in solidarity with President Robert Mugabe and First Lady, Grace Mugabe, Mlala said some members of the party, especially those elected at the party's congress, were becoming "big headed" and undermining the authority of the party leader.
He said although in terms of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, the president has the power to appoint two persons "of his choice" to become vice-presidents in Zanu PF, the two second secretaries are elected at the party's congress, as well as the chairperson.
"My executive wants the party constitution to be changed so that the president and first secretary position can be elected at a congress and thereafter the president appoints the two vice-presidents and all the other politburo members."
He said the president should appoint his two deputies and a national chairperson in line with the Unity Accord of 1987.
Mlala is on record as saying President Mugabe already has the mandate to continue at the helm of the party and should be elected unopposed at the party's congress.
There have been suggestions within Zanu PF of the constitutional amendment to ensure the leader of the party is able to appoint people who are loyal to him and are able to assist him run the party.
This follows allegations by the First Lady and Zanu PF secretary for women's affairs designate, Grace Mugabe, of "incompetence" against the party's second secretary, Joice Mujuru and accusations that she has been plotting to remove President Mugabe from the helm of the party.
Meanwhile, Mlala also warned politburo member, Sikhanyiso Ndlovu, to stop interfering in provincial matters or risk suffering the same fate as expelled party information chief, Rugare Gumbo.
This follows Ndlovu's utterances in the media that Callistus Ndlovu and other top five members of the committee who received a vote of no confidence last week were still in charge as some of the signatures were "forged".
"I say to Sikhanyiso Ndlovu, we ask you as an elder not to play with the children," he said amid applause. "This is a provincial issue and politburo members should not interfere."
Mlala said Sikhanyiso should raise his concerns at the politburo meetings as interfering in provincial matters was one of the things that caused the demise of Gumbo, the party's information chief who was suspended from the party for five years and Energy and Power Development minister, Dzikamai Mavhaire, of Masvingo, who is also a politburo member, who has been given an ultimatum by party members in Masvingo to resign.
He said the march organised by Bulawayo citizens, William Nyathi and Norman Ngwenya, popularly known as 'Gushungo' in solidarity with the First Family had exposed the "suspended" leadership of the party in Bulawayo.
"We hear these two (Nyathi and Ngwenya) who are not even in Zanu PF structures wrote a letter to the provincial executive leadership three weeks ago informing it of the march but they sat on the letter," said Mlala.
"Its an embarrassment, it's a shame to these provincial leaders. I thank these young men for organising this march."
In her solidarity message after the march, a representative of the Zimbabwe Liberation War Collaborators Association, Joyce Ndlovu, said they were the ones who first approached the First Lady, to ask her to lead Zanu PF's women's league.
She said her association was behind the First Lady and her husband's going to the congress without being challenged.
"We must now take self-introspection and say Bulawayo must win in 2018," said Ndlovu, amid thunderous applause.
Speaking during the same event, the organiser of the march, Nyathi, described both President Mugabe and the First Lady as powerful leaders who do not condone "corruption which has destroyed the economy".
"Behind every successful man is a powerful woman," said Nyathi. "Leaders are appointed by God. The president was appointed by God."
Source - Zim Mail
