Zanu-PF war: Chingosho-Chipanga feud escalates

ZANU-PF legislators for Makoni West and Headlands, Cdes Kudzi Chipanga and Chris Chingosho respectively are embroiled in a bitter war of words with the latter accusing the former of trespassing into his constituency.

Things almost came to a boil last Friday during the Zanu-PF Manicaland Provincial Co-ordination Committee meeting at Mutare Polytechnic when Chingosho tried to smuggle the issue during the tension filled meeting.

Chingosho who is also the Deputy Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing, was forced to leave the meeting in a huff as some members bayed for his blood.

Chingosho drew the ire of some members of the PCC after he tried to smuggle in his feud with Chipanga which was not on the agenda into the meeting. Chingosho who had arrived late for the meeting had told the provincial chairman, Dr Samuel Undenge that some of his counterparts in Parliament were encroaching into his area and holding meetings.

As Dr Undenge announced what Chingosho had whispered to him, Chingosho who was sitting in the gallery shouted: "Kudzi" and all hell broke loose.

Some members of the PCC charged at him accusing him of trying to use the PCC to settle old scores. He was jeered and hackled. Chaos reigned supreme as some members grabbed chairs and tried to attack him.

The swift intervention of Central Committee members, among them, Cdes Isau Mupfumi and Joseph Chinotimba and security officers who formed a human shield around Chingosho saved him from a bashing from the irate members.

Chingosho had to seek refuge at the high table where he had a chat with Agriculture Minister, Dr Joseph Made before being escorted outside the hall by security officers. Chingosho phoned this publication on Wednesday and accused Cdes Chipanga and Mandi Chimene of encroaching into his constituency.

"The two, Cdes Chipanga and Chimene are holding meetings in my constituency. According to me, the two have been creating parallel structures in my constituency and they should be reprimanded. They should also be shown the exit door. They are putting their own people in positions," said Chingosho.

While Chimene who is also Minister of State for Manicaland Provincial Affairs and Member of National Assembly for Makoni South was not readily available for a comment as she was in a meeting with war veterans, Chipanga dismissed Chingosho's claims, saying these were coming from a person who had lost touch with the reality on the ground.

"What Chingosho is alleging usually happens in some of the constituencies that are now orphaned after their representatives deserted them. Chingosho seems to have forgotten the roads leading to his constituency and we are there to assist him to find direction back to the people. He has literally gone AWOL and people in his constituency are turning to us for representation as their concerns have no-one to address them.

"If you are saying he phoned The Manica Post raising his concerns, you can as well assist him with directions to his constituency. As fellow Zanu-PF MPs we are only assisting the party to have its presence continuously felt in Headlands. My fellow comrade does not have people. People belong to Zanu-PF and not individuals.

"Maybe I can also remind Chingosho who is less than two years in office that the laws of this country only allow a Member of National Assembly to have one constituency and not two as he is alleging.

"He has a better advantage than most of us to be visible in the constituency because he had two vehicles allocated to him, one as a Member of National Assembly and the other one as a Deputy Minister," said Chipanga.