News / National
Leadership wrangle rocks Zanu-PF
30 May 2017 at 01:45hrs | Views
ZANU-PF Manicaland province has once again slipped into turbulence over a leadership wrangle following renewed attempts by some executive members to kick out their chairman Samuel Undenge, whom they accuse of incompetence.
Since last month when the province pushed a motion to have Undenge relieved of his position, provincial executive members have been at each other's throats seeking to gain control of the province.
Yesterday, provincial youth chairperson Mubuso Chinguno said they had resolved to boycott meetings called by Undenge until his issue had been resolved by the politburo.
"Our position is that we signed a vote of no-confidence against him, our reasons being that he is grossly incompetent. He does not initiate mobilisation programmes and as we go for the 2018 elections we need a person who is easily accessible and who is also competent," Mubuso said.
"Even when he tries to call for meetings we will not attend. We are waiting to hear from the politburo now but as for us, we don't recognise him."
Other provincial executive members who preferred anonymity said the province had failed to hold meetings regularly while accusing the Energy minister of dereliction of duty.
"The comrade (Undenge) amongst all the other chairpersons is the only one who resides outside the province. The guy is overwhelmed compared to all the other chairpersons as he has to attend Cabinet, Parliament and, above all, he runs a key ministry which requires that he travels outside the country extensively and he also has a constituency to run," a top official said.
"We are going towards the 2018 elections and it is the general feeling among members of the executive that whoever is tasked with the command of party structures as we go towards an important plebiscite should have the full mandate of the party membership. This can only come through an election. Undenge was co-opted and we feel it is time for him to go now."
Undenge was not answering his mobile phone yesterday, but he recently told State media that he did not recognise the "fraudulent" vote of no-confidence against him claiming it was not passed by the rightful organs.
Since last month when the province pushed a motion to have Undenge relieved of his position, provincial executive members have been at each other's throats seeking to gain control of the province.
Yesterday, provincial youth chairperson Mubuso Chinguno said they had resolved to boycott meetings called by Undenge until his issue had been resolved by the politburo.
"Our position is that we signed a vote of no-confidence against him, our reasons being that he is grossly incompetent. He does not initiate mobilisation programmes and as we go for the 2018 elections we need a person who is easily accessible and who is also competent," Mubuso said.
Other provincial executive members who preferred anonymity said the province had failed to hold meetings regularly while accusing the Energy minister of dereliction of duty.
"The comrade (Undenge) amongst all the other chairpersons is the only one who resides outside the province. The guy is overwhelmed compared to all the other chairpersons as he has to attend Cabinet, Parliament and, above all, he runs a key ministry which requires that he travels outside the country extensively and he also has a constituency to run," a top official said.
"We are going towards the 2018 elections and it is the general feeling among members of the executive that whoever is tasked with the command of party structures as we go towards an important plebiscite should have the full mandate of the party membership. This can only come through an election. Undenge was co-opted and we feel it is time for him to go now."
Undenge was not answering his mobile phone yesterday, but he recently told State media that he did not recognise the "fraudulent" vote of no-confidence against him claiming it was not passed by the rightful organs.
Source - newsday
