Zanu-PF factionalism rears its head again

HARARE - President Robert Mugabe's Zanu-PF is wracked by "shocking" factionalism, which is based on petty village and non-progressive policies.

The statement is alleged to have been said by Professor Jonathan Moyo and with the recent developments, it is not far from the truth as disgruntled Zanu-PF supporters have set base at the party provincial offices to protest against chairman Mike Madiro and his executive.

The supporters who have been demonstrating at the offices since Sunday are accusing Madiro and the Provincial Co-ordinating Committee of imposing candidates and flawed electoral processes in the on-going district co-ordinating committee elections.

More than 150 supporters resplendent in party regalia were yesterday gathered at the offices chanting slogans, singing and dancing while demanding Madiro's resignation.

They also called for a re-run of the elections. The supporters carried placards denouncing the provincial executive's way of handling DCC elections. The posters read: "Manicaland provincial members munatitsveruk-awo, Stop destroying Zanu-PF, Pamberi nezvido zvevanhu, Zanu-PF is not a private company: It is a people's party."

Officer commanding police in Mutare District, Chief Superintendent Muza, said the situation was under control.

"We attended the scene and discovered that the situation is quite under control and that they are resolving it as an in-house issue. We also understand that one of their local senior party members, Isau Mupfumi is facilitating the speedy resolution of the matter," he said.

Madiro refused to discuss the demonstration and instead accused the media of working against him.

The protest comes just a few day after Zanu-PF national commissar Webster Shamu was in Bulawayo dealing with the contentious issue of the suspension of provincial chairperson Isaac Dakamela.

The suspension has divided the party's top brass and the party's lower structures.

Shamu's visit to Bulawayo follows the Zanu-PF politburo directive to him and the national chairman Simon Khaya Moyo to investigate fissures threatening to tear apart the party in the province.

Dakamela was suspended two weeks ago by the provincial coordinating committee (PCC) over allegations of corruption and insubordination and was replaced by Sibanda.

Shamu's visit also came as the PCC on Tuesday set up a task team to investigate reports of an alleged plan to demonstrate outside the party's Davies Hall provincial headquarters.

It is alleged a group of the party's district members sympathetic to Dakamela met at a drinking spot on the outskirts of the city centre last weekend and denounced his suspension, saying it was unconstitutional.

Shamu is also expected to visit Matabeleland North on Saturday to solve the matter of the suspension of the party's acting chairperson Zwelitsha Masuku.

Masuku's suspension has already caused a rift between Mines and Mining Development minister Obert Mpofu and party national chairman Simon Khaya Moyo who reportedly exchanged harsh words over the matter in a recent politburo meeting.

The two main Zanu-PF factions are said to be led by Defence minister Emmerson Mnangagwa and vice president Joice Mujuru.