Fist-fight MPs to face Zanu-PF music

Zanu-PF will summon to a hearing party legislators Masango Matambanadzo (Kwekwe Central) and Owen Ncube (Gokwe-Kana) who exchanged blows in public in Kwekwe on Sunday over allegations of instructing youths to perform acts of arson.

Party spokesperson Rugare Gumbo said in an interview that the two brought the party's name into disrepute by engaging in a fist fight at Amaveni Shopping Centre.

He said the party's national leadership would wait for a report from the provincial executive on the altercation.

"The party will summon them because we can't allow our MPs to engage in fist fights because it brings the name of the party into disrepute," said Gumbo.

"The province has to give a report to that regard, then the disciplinary committee will take over from there. The bottom line is that as a party, we can't allow a situation where MPs exchange blows, in the process tarnishing the image of the party."

Zanu-PF provincial chairperson for the Midlands, Jaison Machaya said they would carry out investigations into the matter.

"We read about the fight in the newspapers, but we will use party systems and structures to verify if indeed it happened," he said. "If it happened, the party has ways of dealing with such matters.

"We've not received a formal complaint from the two. Maybe we will receive it when we meet as the provincial executive."

Zanu-PF Chief Whip, Joram Gumbo, said the altercation between the two had nothing to do with Zanu-PF.

"We're all in Zanu-PF and I don't understand why they decided to resolve their differences through violence," he said. "It is dishonourable for MPs to do such things.

"So far we don't know what actually happened because I've seen Mudha (Ncube). He says he was beaten up but he did not hit back. I am yet to see Matambanadzo to hear his side of the story".

"But what we condemn are utterances by Matambanadzo that he is being victimised because he is not from Midlands, yet our provincial leadership has people from almost every province."

Gumbo is the party MP for Mberengwa West in the same province.

He said while the altercation had nothing to do with the party, it was embarrassing to the revolutionary party that its legislators could engage in a fist-fight.

Gumbo said it was up to the provincial leadership led by Machaya to sanction the duo if it was established that indeed the MPs exchanged blows.

Matambanadzo on Monday confirmed the altercation, saying he retaliated after Ncube hit him.

He alleged that Ncube ordered party youths to burn his vehicle and shop.

Ncube expressed ignorance of the altercation, while police confirmed the incident but said they needed further details.

Meanwhile, Zanu-PF Central Committee member Douglas Tapfuma and the Kwekwe District executive yesterday recommended the immediate recalling of Matambanadzo.

Addressing journalists at a press conference in Kwekwe, Tapfuma said the Kwekwe District no longer wanted to associate with Matambanadzo following the incident and had recommended that the provincial leadership immediately recall him.

"As Kwekwe district we received a report that  Matambanadzo attacked Ncube in public," he said.  "To us, that is gross indiscipline because Ncube is the provincial secretary for security which makes him senior to Matambanadzo.

"We have recommended that the party recalls Matambanadzo due to gross indiscipline and undermining senior party members."