'No more G40 purges'

UNPROCEDURAL purges of G40 faction members in Zanu-PF must stop forthwith and energy should be shifted to rehabilitating them so that the party has a united front to win the harmonised elections later this year, an official has said.

Addressing Midlands provincial inter district meeting at the Zanu-PF Convention Centre in Gweru yesterday, the ruling party's deputy political commissar Omega Hungwe said remaining members of the G40 cabal should be reformed and integrated in the structures.

"So many members linked to the G40 cabal from former First Lady Grace Mugabe, Saviour Kasukuwere, Jonathan Moyo, Ignatius Chombo, Phelekezela Mphoko and Patrick Zhuwao were all fired at the Central Committee meeting last year, while others were recently fired from the party," she said.

"Those fired recently, including Walter Mzembi, Samuel Undenge, signalled the end of purges against such members. From now henceforth, it is the party position that there are no more unprocedural expulsions.

"If we find them, we must sit them down and show them the Zanu-PF way and rehabilitate them. Now, all our energy should go towards mass mobilisation and preparing for the forthcoming elections because we must win resoundingly."

Hungwe said President Mnangagwa had forgiven members of the G40 cabal.

"The message I have from President Mnangagwa is that he has forgiven those with G40 links," she said. "But be warned, if you are not remorseful and continue destabilising the party, we will deal with you accordingly.

"So, let's work together and win this coming election."

Hungwe said up to the end of January, the party would be reorganising its cell structures before the same exercise was done at the district level at the end of February.

She said restructuring of the party structures was necessary so that time and again children who would have reached the age of 18 were introduced to the party for continuity purposes.

By the end of March, Hungwe said the restructuring exercise should be completed before primary elections were held.

Hungwe said President Mnangagwa was the sole candidate of the party in the coming elections.

"So, we want proper party structures from the cell level, district level, provincial level and up to national level," she said. "As a party, we also have the 100 days time frame to judge our performance in terms of restructuring and mobilising party members."

Hungwe said the party had been hijacked by criminals and there was a need to thank President Mnangagwa, the military and war veterans for remaining resolute — a development that led to the resignation of former President Robert Mugabe.

She encouraged party members to embrace the ongoing Biometric Voter Registration (BVR), so that millions of people registered and exercised their constitutional right to vote.

"We should all be registered to vote so that we win the elections," said Hungwe. "We all know that President Mnangagwa is our sole candidate and all provinces agree to that.

"As for other members of the party, we will be holding primary elections for candidates to represent us, a process which should be free and fair.

"The primary elections will be held early so that if there are problems people have time to complain and the problems are addressed so that we are united by the time the harmonised elections are held."

Hungwe said the party was going to set up election management centres from the districts to the province.