Mashonaland provinces endorse Kasukuwere ouster

Zanu-PF Mashonaland West and Mashonaland East provinces yesterday joined the bandwagon of those endorsing the call to remove under-fire national political commissar, Saviour Kasukuwere from his party and government positions.

Speaking at the end of a provincial executive committee (PEC) meeting at the Zanu-PF provincial offices in Chinhoyi yesterday, secretary for administration, Simbarashe Ziyambi said the committee unanimously resolved to endorse Kasukuwere's axing from the party and government.

"The PEC saw it fit to support the motion that Kasukuwere be removed from the national political commissariat and from his government position," Ziyambi said.

He said Kasukuwere is accused of undermining President Robert Mugabe and First Lady Grace Mugabe, and imposing the Norton by-election candidate last year, which saw the party losing to independent, Temba Mliswa. Ziyambi alleged the Local Government minister was dishing out residential stands to his cronies and failing to grow the ruling party.

Speaking on behalf of the provincial co-ordinating committee (PCC), central committee member, Philip Chiyangwa said they agreed with the PEC resolution to recall Kasukuwere from his position.

"We thank the province for a quick job, remember we are going for elections next year and those who do not perform like Kasukuwere should give way to those who are capable," he said.

Yesterday's meetings were attended by provincial members, chairpersons of districts, Kasukuwere's predecessor, Webster Shamu, as well as MPs Kindness Paradza, Dexter Nduna, Ziyambi Ziyambi and Keith Guzah.

Kasukuwere refused to comment on the issue, while secretary for administration, Ignatius Chombo was not answering his phone the whole day.

In Marondera, the Mashonaland East PEC meeting also endorsed Kasukuwere's ouster.

Speaking to journalists after the meeting, provincial spokesperson Kenneth Mutiwekuziva said: "The PEC has unanimously endorsed Kasukuwere's ouster for what he did in his home province that later affected this province as well. There is a lot that he did, creating parallel structures and so on. We are saying, Kasukuwere should stop being the national political commissar."

He said the province delayed the endorsement due to other party commitments and the Easter and Independence Day holidays.

The PEC meeting was attended by, among others, Provincial Affairs minister Ambrose Mutinhiri, several legislators and executive members.

But the meeting was not without drama after provincial secretary for legal affairs, Kudzai Majuru allegedly bolted from the hall with papers that contained names of people who had signed a vote of no-confidence against provincial chairperson, Bernard Makokove, women's league boss, Biata Nyamupinga and youth league chairperson, Kevin Mutsvairo.

The PEC immediately suspended Majuru for indiscipline and fanning divisions within the party.

NewsDay witnessed the drama as Majuru rushed out of the premises with party members in hot pursuit. Riot police officers outside the building tried to get the papers from Majuru, but failed.