Chombo stops all Zanu-PF demos

ALL Zanu-PF structures should stand guided by President Mugabe's call to stop demonstrations forthwith and follow laid down procedures to address their grievances, the revolutionary party's Secretary for Administration Ignatius Chombo said yesterday.

He said those who defied the directive would be dealt with.

Chombo said the party's Secretary for Legal Affairs Patrick Chinamasa had since sent a circular to the 10 provinces advising them on the manner in which aggrieved party members were supposed to present their grievances.

He said provincial chairpersons were also advised to ensure that all party meetings were cleared by provincial police commanders and were in line with the party constitution to avoid unsanctioned meetings pursuing personal agendas.

Chombo told our Harare Bureau that Zanu-PF was tired of misguided demonstrations and abuse of the First Family's name by some elements for personal gains.

"Some of the individuals are hijacking the party to use the demos or votes of no confidence to settle personal scores and not addressing party issues," he said.

That will not be tolerated at all. Those found to be involved in these activities will be disciplined because they are putting the name of the party into disrepute. The party wants a distinction made between institutional and personal issues."

Chombo said President Mugabe was the only centre of power in Zanu-PF and the party members were all expected to stand bound by his exhortations and failure to do so was a case of indiscipline.

Chombo's statements dovetail with President Mugabe's call that party structures stop resorting to demonstrations as a way of solving internal party problems.

In his address, President Mugabe asked party members to channel their grievances through proper procedures and that this should be done in an open and transparent manner at the appropriate level, namely; cell, branch, district, provincial executive committee and Provincial Coordination Committee.

"After exhausting the above channels, it is only then that unsolved issues be passed on to the Central Committee and Politburo through the secretary for administration in the party," said Chombo.

Now, when these issues come to the Politburo, they should have full trail: that is minutes, date, time and place and persons who attended, allegations against the accused and their (accused) comments.

"This process is important, the cases should be taken to the branches, districts and provinces according to Chinamasa's directive which is provided for in the Constitution.

"Only a few cases, the complicated ones ofcourse, should find their way to the Central Committee and the Politburo for their resolutions. Most issues that are brought up to Politburo are issues that should be addressed at local level."

Chombo said the Politburo would then appropriately respond to the matters brought before it under the laid down channels.

"The province that brings issues to the Politburo is seeking guidance and way forward, he said. They should wait for the Politburo's decision before taking any action. The reason why it should be properly conducted is because some are now eager to push out others because they want constituencies.

"The indiscipline and abuse of office is putting the name of the party into disrepute. It's because the party office has been abused or hijacked for personal gains."

Chombo said forthwith, the party was banning all unauthorised members at all levels to speak on its behalf.

"This should stop, he said. Only authorised spokespersons should speak on behalf of the party at any given level. I cannot speak on behalf of Harare province or a district in Marondera, or a district in Zvimba where I come from, These districts have their own spokespersons.

"If the President goes to a province, the President is chaired by the chairman of that province so that we have disciplined party processes.

Recommendations of lower structures of the party are just recommendations and should not be published until the party has made a ruling and communicated it to the relevant organs. When you send your recommendations to Harare, the responses will come back, then you make a statement."