'Women's league rift damages Zanu-PF'

Former Mashonaland Central youth leader  Godfrey Tsenengamu has warned that the turmoil in the women's league could claim Zanu-PF's scalp in next year's polls while leaping to the defence of the embattled Eunice Sandi Moyo and Sarah Mahoka, who are facing the boot over allegations of plotting against First Lady Grace Mugabe.

Tsenengamu, who was hounded out of Zanu-PF, together with six other provincial youth leaders in 2015, said Grace should heal the rift with the duo whose political careers are hanging by a thread following recent demonstrations against them.

In a video he posted on his Facebook page, Tsenengamu warned Zanu-PF supporters against celebrating the attacks on Sandi Moyo and Mahoka.

"People were expelled in 2004, 2014, 2015 and now Sandi Moyo and Sarah Mahoka are the targets. We are going towards 2018 elections the current divisions are not good for the party.

"Towards 2008 election we had differences but not of this kind, this is too much. Do these fights have something to do with the party and people or there are certain individuals who want to benefit from these fights?

"Mai (Joice) Mujuru was expelled in 2014 on various allegations but up to now the allegations are not proven; the same situation also happened to us, the expulsions caused more problems.

"If Mahoka and Moyo did something wrong they must be disciplined using proper procedures not this issue of demonstrating, carrying placards with hate language this is not going to do good for the party," said Tsenengamu.

"We know after they expel Sandi and Mahoka there are some who are also going to face the chop. My question now is, are we being used to fight for the party or we are fighting to protect certain family interests or interests of certain individuals?

"We were used to demonstrate against vaGoche (former Cabinet minister Nicholas) on allegations of planning to kill the president but they are now saying vaGoche is clean. He was admitted into hospital due to that issue, if he had died were you going to say the same words that vaGoche was not guilty," added Tsenengamu.

The women's league is in turmoil following a fall-out between Grace and her once trusted foot soldiers — Sandi Moyo and Mahoka — which resulted in mega demonstrations against the duo last week.

Sandi Moyo, who is Grace's deputy and vocal women's league treasurer, Sarah Mahoka, were on Wednesday rocked by countrywide demonstrations against them by irate party members, amid claims that the two women — once seen as close allies of the First Lady — were now undermining President Robert Mugabe's wife.

Analysts have previously said Mugabe's failure to resolve Zanu-PF's succession riddle is fuelling the party's deadly infighting, which is devouring the former liberation movement.

The 93-year-old has studiously refused to name a successor, insisting that the party's congress has that mandate: to choose a person of their own choice.