Mnangagwa's Zanu-PF reads riot act

Zanu-PF has said that the wanton purging of party members at all levels should stop immediately and that drastic measures will be taken against those behind such actions.

The party said the resolution by the Central Committee on November 19, 2017 reinstating all members who were either suspended or expelled subsequent to the 2014 National People's Congress was yet to be ratified by the Extraordinary Congress slated for next month before being implemented.

Addressing journalists at the party's headquarters in Harare yesterday, Zanu-PF Secretary for Information and Publicity Simon Khaya Moyo said people should stop allocating themselves positions based on the Central Committee resolution that was yet to be ratified.

Khaya Moyo said formal communication would be made on the implementation matrix after the forthcoming Extraordinary Congress. His remarks come in the wake of jostling and self-appointment in certain positions by some party members.

Some of the appointments were not only illegal but tantamount to usurping the powers of the President and First Secretary of the party who has the sole mandate of appointing Politburo members.

"Pursuant to my statement of the 26th November, 2017 advising all provinces to stop purging party members and effecting co-options pending further directions from the party, the party is deeply disturbed and perturbed to note that such activities are still being perpetuated in some provinces and have even extended to national structures," said Khaya Moyo.

"The party shall descend heavily on those members who will fail to pay heed to this instruction. The Central Committee at its sitting in special session on the 19th November, 2017, resolved that members from the provincial councils and subordinate organs (provincial, district and branch council) who were suspended or expelled from the party subsequent to the 2014 National People's Congress should be reinstated to their positions. This resolution is together with the host of other resolutions is still to be ratified by the Extraordinary Congress prior to implementation. Party members must stop allocating themselves positions forthwith."

Khaya Moyo continued: "After the Extraordinary Congress, the party shall issue formal communication clearly setting out procedures and guidelines to be followed in implementing the said resolution. It should be noted that in terms of the party's constitution, some appointments are the prerogative of the President and First Secretary of the party.

"In that regard, all party structures are directed to stop the aforementioned activities until after the Extraordinary Congress."

Khaya Moyo said people should not seek to spoil the joyous mood in the party and the country at large following the election of Emmerson Mnangagwa as the party's First Secretary and his subsequent inauguration as the second Executive President of Zimbabwe since independence in 1980 by indulging in illegal activities.