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Infighting cripples Zanu-PF women's league
26 Jul 2017 at 09:37hrs | Views
ZANU-PF Women's League has virtually been crippled in the second city by the ugly infighting in President Robert Mugabe's party after suspension and counter-suspensions done at the instigation of the warring factions left the wing without a clear leader.
In May, the provincial Women's League executive suspended six of its members for "taking orders" from the organ's former national deputy secretary, Eunice Nomthandazo Moyo, (pictured) who was forced to resign from its national executive on allegations of fomenting discord in the party and extorting money from well-wishers in the name of First Lady Grace Mugabe.
But before those who were behind the suspension could even conduct a disciplinary hearing for the suspended official, they were also suspended. The entire top four, led by provincial chair, Eva Bitu, were suspended in what sources described as retaliation by one of the factions.
Since then, there has been ugly infighting at Davies Hall, the provincial headquarters where Zanu-PF factions - Generation 40 (G40) and Team Lacoste, are battling for control.
Rattled by the suspensions, Judith Ncube, the leagues' national secretary for information, raised the matter over the weekend with visiting Zanu-PF national secretary for administration, Ignatius Chombo.
"The executive had suspended five people and before we could look into the issue of their hearing, the chairperson, her vice, secretary and the commissar were suspended and that has left the Women's League at a stand still," Ncube said.
She said the suspensions have left women without leadership in the province.
"We appeal to you (Chombo). The more you delay, the more we are killing the party. We want to work. Before these suspensions, there were programmes that we had put in place as Women's League but because there is no leadership in Bulawayo we cannot move forward. How do we move when you suspend the entire top five?" she said.
Bitu, who was also in attendance, told Chombo that she considered herself still the chairperson, as she felt she was unprocedurally suspended by people who had also been suspended.
"I don't want to speak to the media anymore because they will start accusing me of being talkative," she told the Southern News.
Contacted for comment, Ncube, who is also Zanu-PF central committee member, however, refused to be drawn into the provincial factionalism, saying she was only a national member of the league.
"I can't say much because I am not part of the province, I am at national so I am not directly involved in some of those issues," she said.
She, however, emphasised that it was worrisome for the province to operate without leadership, before calling for a resolution of the issues to allow the party to move forward.
In May, the provincial Women's League executive suspended six of its members for "taking orders" from the organ's former national deputy secretary, Eunice Nomthandazo Moyo, (pictured) who was forced to resign from its national executive on allegations of fomenting discord in the party and extorting money from well-wishers in the name of First Lady Grace Mugabe.
But before those who were behind the suspension could even conduct a disciplinary hearing for the suspended official, they were also suspended. The entire top four, led by provincial chair, Eva Bitu, were suspended in what sources described as retaliation by one of the factions.
Since then, there has been ugly infighting at Davies Hall, the provincial headquarters where Zanu-PF factions - Generation 40 (G40) and Team Lacoste, are battling for control.
Rattled by the suspensions, Judith Ncube, the leagues' national secretary for information, raised the matter over the weekend with visiting Zanu-PF national secretary for administration, Ignatius Chombo.
"The executive had suspended five people and before we could look into the issue of their hearing, the chairperson, her vice, secretary and the commissar were suspended and that has left the Women's League at a stand still," Ncube said.
She said the suspensions have left women without leadership in the province.
"We appeal to you (Chombo). The more you delay, the more we are killing the party. We want to work. Before these suspensions, there were programmes that we had put in place as Women's League but because there is no leadership in Bulawayo we cannot move forward. How do we move when you suspend the entire top five?" she said.
Bitu, who was also in attendance, told Chombo that she considered herself still the chairperson, as she felt she was unprocedurally suspended by people who had also been suspended.
"I don't want to speak to the media anymore because they will start accusing me of being talkative," she told the Southern News.
Contacted for comment, Ncube, who is also Zanu-PF central committee member, however, refused to be drawn into the provincial factionalism, saying she was only a national member of the league.
"I can't say much because I am not part of the province, I am at national so I am not directly involved in some of those issues," she said.
She, however, emphasised that it was worrisome for the province to operate without leadership, before calling for a resolution of the issues to allow the party to move forward.
Source - dailynews
