Mashonaland want Mnangagwa fired

Bulawayo and Mashonaland provinces yesterday resolved to ask President Mugabe to immediately drop Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa over allegations of undermining him.

The Mash Central provincial inter-district conference was held at Chipadze Secondary School while Bulawayo province convened an emergency Provincial Co-ordinatimng Committee meeting at the party's Davies Hall offices in the wake of disturbances witnessed at the Presidential Youth Interface Rally at White City Stadium.

Addressing the conference attended by over 1 500 people from the province's eight districts, the provincial chairperson Dickson Mafios said the President must expel VP Mnangagwa and his allies as soon as possible.

Mafios said in the history of vice presidents, the President has never been troubled by his deputy to the extent of addressing the nation like he did at the youth interface rally in Bulawayo on Saturday.

Zanu-PF Bulawayo Province unanimously resolved that under-fire Vice-President Mnangagwa should be sacked from his position in the Government.

The resolution, which was passed during an explosive meeting at the party's provincial headquarters, Davies Hall yesterday, followed a proposal by the youth wing.

The decision came in the wake of heckling of the First Lady Dr Grace Mugabe by party member Magure Charumbira and a few others during her address on Saturday at the Bulawayo Presidential Youth Interface rally held at White City Stadium.

Zanu-PF Bulawayo provincial chairman Dennis Ndlovu said the party leadership in the province distances itself from the disorder that took place at the rally.

"As Zanu-PF Bulawayo province, we have unanimously resolved that VP Mnangagwa should be fired from his post for leading a faction that is opposing President Mugabe. The province also supports female candidature for the VP position. The entire Provincial Coordinating Committee also resolved to dissociate itself from the disturbances that took place during the Presidential Youth Interface rally in Bulawayo," he said.

During the rally, a small clique of party supporters allegedly linked to a faction believed to be pushing for VP Mnangagwa to succeed President Mugabe, tried to disrupt the meeting by booing the First Lady during her address.

Ndlovu said the majority of people who booed the First Lady were bussed from other provinces.

"It emerged that from the small clique which tried to disrupt the rally, most of them were people from outside the province, particularly the Midlands and Masvingo. They were brought in buses and coordinated by expelled party chairmen and known rogue elements such as Charumbira," he said.

Ndlovu said the provincial executive has resolved to take drastic measures against party members that were involved.

"The province would like to take this opportunity to apologise to President Mugabe and the First Lady Dr Grace Mugabe. We want to assure them of our unwavering support and reaffirm that we  support President's candidature in the 2018 elections," he said.

During yesterday's meeting some party members suspected to be linked to a faction allegedly aligned to VP Mnangagwa, were chucked out.

"I want to warn those behind the madness that happened on Saturday at White City Stadium that they should stop. It is very true that Bulawayo people are very angry over the insults directed to President Mugabe and the First Lady Dr Grace Mugabe. The people behind that madness were not even invited and at no time did we request their assistance during the preparations for the Presidential Youth Interface rally," he said.

"We can't have a situation where people boo our leaders and certainly that is unacceptable."

Zanu-PF national deputy secretary for Youth Affairs, Mpehlabayo Malinga also condemned the people who heckled the First Lady, saying youths have a mandate to protect the names of the President and the First Lady.

"We will not allow people to insult our President and the First Lady. I know as youths we are easily manipulated by people and it's always easy for us to get money for airtime and beer. As Zanu-PF youths our first commandment is to protect the name of the President and that of the First Lady," he said.

War veterans' provincial vice-chairman for Bulawayo Naison Mashasha said they would soon hold a meeting to discuss the issue of factionalism in Bulawayo.

He said his organisation fully supported President Mugabe.

"We support what President Mugabe has said about factionalism and as war veterans who are loyal to him we don't condone factionalism. If you think Zanu-PF is no longer your party, just leave us alone and form yours," said Mashasha.

Some of the party members who are accused of fanning factionalism include former Welfare Services for War Veterans, War Collaborators, Ex-Political Detainees and Restrictees Minister Retired Colonel Tshinga Dube, businessman Elphas Mashava and expelled youth leaders Davis Muhambi and Charumbira among others.

Those who were kicked out of the meeting include the provincial chairlady for the Bulawayo Zanu-PF Women's League, Eve Bitu, Central Committee member, Anna Moyo and deputy provincial commissar, Douglas "Bin Laden" Gangaidzo.

The Minister of State for Bulawayo Provincial Affairs Eunice Nomthandazo Moyo said they don't condone factionalism.

"In Bulawayo asifuni bumbulu (stubbornness) and I am saying to our children who are involved in factionalism, you better stop it! We have people who come from other provinces to soil our good name and undermining us. I don't think we can allow such to continue painting us in bad light and clandestinely using names of our leaders to commit crimes," she said.

Politburo member Absolom Sikhosana warned party members against denigrating President Mugabe and the First Lady, saying such people had no place in the ruling party.