Zanu-PF Masvingo province to expel War Veterans chairman from the province

Zanu-PF'S Masvingo provincial executive has resolved to expel the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association chairman, Jabulani Sibanda, from the province accusing him of dabbling in political activities that were now compromising the party.

The executive said Sibanda had overstayed his welcome and had become a liability.

Sibanda arrived here in October last year.

Masvingo Zanu-PF provincial chairman, Lovemore Matuke, at the weekend said the party's provincial co-ordinating committee had passed a resolution ordering the national war veterans' leader to immediately stop his political campaigns in the province.

When contacted for comment, Sibanda said he was not aware of the latest development.

"I have not been aware of that and am still not aware. Anyway who is Matuke? Who is he?" quipped Sibanda.

The war veterans' leader has been in Masvingo under a programme code-named "Operation Kubudirana Pachena".

The operation was aimed at educating people across the province about how Zimbabwe attained its independence and the continued threats posed to the country by neo-colonial aggressors.

However, Matuke yesterday said the provincial party leadership had resolved that Sibanda had over-stayed in the province.

They now want him to turn to other provinces in the country.

"Yes the party, Zanu-PF at its provincial co-ordinating committee meeting held on Saturday resolved that Sibanda had over-stayed his welcome in Masvingo province and is now supposed to stop all his activities and go to other provinces where he is welcome.

"It was a decision that was passed after considering the effects of some of the activities that he was carrying out on the ground which in the view of the provincial party leadership, were now compromising the party, so we agreed that he should leave Masvingo," said Matuke.

The Masvingo provincial chairman added that they would soon inform Sibanda about the party's decision.

"We felt that he had overstayed in Masvingo judging by what he was doing and considering that he was in Masvingo since October last year and wanted to be here until August this year, it means that he wanted to spend a year here and Zanu-PF has ten political provinces so it means that for him to cover all the other provinces he would need ten years, so we felt that it will be better if he goes to other provinces," said Matuke.

The Zanu-PF provincial chairman said the party was grateful for the work that Sibanda had done in Masvingo and the party was now in good stead to take from where he left.

Sibanda is reportedly accused of engaging in issues outside his mandate like imposing Zanu-PF candidates in some constituencies even though the national party leadership has not yet announced dates for primary elections to choose candidates to represent it during elections likely to be held end of year.