Turmoil in Zanu-PF

THE Zanu-PF provincial leadership in Masvingo has called on the party's national secretary for legal affairs to assist in amending the party constitution to make room for a woman Vice President post.

The provincial coordinating committee also resolved that Politburo member, Josiah Hungwe, Zanu-PF Chief Whip Lovemore Matuke, Clemence Makwarimba and suspended chairman Ezra Chadzamira be dismissed from the party.

They are accused of undermining the leadership of President Mugabe and the Minister of State for Provincial Affairs Dr Paul Chimedza, among other allegations. Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa was fired yesterday for, among other reasons, disloyalty, disrespect, deceit and being unreliable. Acting chairman Amasa Nhenjana said the province would not stand and fold its hands when unscrupulous members attack the President and his wife.

"We, as Masvingo have made some resolutions to deal with the renegades and we have taken further the resolutions to the national commissariat. As provincial executive committee we have made salient observations and we reaffirmed our loyalty to President Mugabe's leadership and his wife, Women's League secretary Dr Grace Mugabe," Nenjana said. Secretary for Administration Denford Masiya read the provincial executive statement for adoption by the PCC.

"We, Zanu-PF Masvingo provincial executive reaffirm the sovereignty of Masvingo Province as a standalone province, whose loyalties are only to Zanu-PF, the President and First Secretary of the party Robert Gabriel Mugabe and the secretary of the Women's League Dr Grace Mugabe.

"There is no expression of loyalty that separates the two and seeks to divide them in a union cemented by God and marriage vows." Masiya reiterated that the executive wants to disassociate itself from Matuke's rebellious group.

"We want to completely dissociate ourselves from Lovemore Matuke's rebellious group — namely Lovemore Matuke, Masvingo Senator Clemence Makwarimba, Paul Mangwana and Ezra Ruvai Chadzamira — and their clandestine activities seeking to undermine the President and the Party," he said. Masiya called on the party's national disciplinary committee to charge the provincial executive "renegades" and to return party property and assets, including motor vehicles.

"We call upon the NDC to urgently expedite disciplinary action against them and should observe forthwith the provisions of the prohibition orders and return forthwith party assets and property including motor vehicles and fuel coupons in their possession.

"They should cease to misrepresent the party as they are currently doing by convening unconstitutional and illegal meetings." Women's League provincial chairwoman Veronica Makonese called on the party to "return" the other vice presidency position to "its owners" adding that Amai Mugabe should be the candidate.

"As women in Masvingo, we will always walk behind our President Robert Mugabe. We call upon the party to give us back our position of the Vice President," she said.

"We now want it back and we want it to be given to Dr Mugabe, for she is the right candidate. As Masvingo Women's League, we second Amai Mugabe to occupy that position," Makonese said. Provincial youth chairman Nobert Ndaarombe reaffirmed the province's support to the President Mugabe

"We are reaffirming our support to our President Mugabe. We also want the Vice President position to be given to a woman and that should be our First Lady, Dr Grace Mugabe," he said.