Grace Mugabe's mini 'unity accord' collapses

THE mini 'unity accord' effected by the First Lady, Grace Mugabe, between warring Zanu-PF Harare provincial chairman, Amos Midzi and provincial youth chair, Godwin Gomwe, at her "Meet the People" rally earlier this month, has fallen apart only a few weeks after.

The peace brokering gesture by the First Lady was short lived as the parties involved are at each other's throats again with the Harare youth chairman declaring war on his seniors, as delinquency reaches fever pitch in Zanu-PF. The duo's fallout first reared its ugly head in August after Gomwe accused Midzi of imposing Varaidzo Mupunga as the candidate for the national secretary for administration post in the Youth League as well as attempting to forestall the ascendance of President Robert Mugabe's wife, Grace, to the helm of the Women's League.

Midzi, in turn, hit back, accusing Gomwe of misrepresenting facts with the intention of endearing himself with the First Lady, while disrespecting protocol. In disproving Gomwe's claims, Midzi and his executive said they were in fact the ones who accommodated the First Lady in the province; endorsed her nomination and created a slot for her in the Central Committee. They also reproved Gomwe for undermining authority.

Midzi's executive proceeded to push for a vote of no confidence in Gomwe, his deputy, Edison Takataka, and secretary for administration in the provincial youth league executive, Tawanda Kadengu. The decision, however, was rescinded by the Politburo - Zanu-PF's highest decision making body outside congress. The fallout reached fever-pitch when Gomwe refused to recognise Kudzanai Chipanga for the position of deputy secretary for youth affairs and Mupunga at the youth conference in August.

Also sucked into the circus are Politburo member and Mbare Member of Parliament, Tendai Savanhu and Harare provincial political commissar, Shadreck Mashayamombe, whom Gomwe says were the architects of machinations of his woes. Gomwe declared that the First Lady's "unity accord" had become null and void and blamed it on Midzi and his executive whom he accused of failing to honour it. He said Midzi has been snubbing him since the accord was struck at the Harare chapter of the Amai Mugabe's 'Meet the People' provincial rallies.

"Midzi and his team have shown that they have got no respect at all for the First Lady's gesture of unity. I sit in the Harare provincial management committee but Midzi has not invited me to two management committee meetings he has convened since October 9 despite the fact that he invites other members of the Youth League who are my juniors.

"Last week, they organised transport for youths to attend the Vice President (Joice Mujuru's) graduation party in Dotito and they never invited me. I was called by several youths who wanted to know if I was going with them and I told them that it was news to me. What message are they trying to portray by so doing? I am shocked that they are so openly disrespecting the First Lady. I still recognise the First Lady's gesture of unity but now that my other comrades have shown that they do not respect her at all, I have decided not to work with them. So from now onwards, it will be war. I will fight them," Gomwe declared.

Gomwe also sensationally claimed that Midzi and his executive barred youths who wanted to go to Vice President Mujuru's graduation ceremony from wearing T-shirts bearing the First Lady's picture. Contacted for a response, Midzi branded Gomwe "a liar". "He is lying. He has been invited to all the management committee meetings held ever since the First Lady united us but he chose not to attend for reasons I do not know. The record is there," said Midzi.

He added: "To say I am disrespecting the First Lady's gesture is untrue. I believe in addressing issues and not targeting individuals. My duty is to make sure our party is stronger in the province and that it addresses the needs of the people in Harare and in doing so, I embrace every person who works within the constitutional framework of the party."

Mashayamombe, also, hit back at Gomwe saying the youth provincial chairperson had been invited to provincial management committee meeting but chose not to attend. He said he respected the move by the First Lady and had no intention of fighting Gomwe.

"Kana achida kutirwisa ndezvakewo hake zvemusoro wake (if he wants to fight us, it is up to him). What we know is that the First Lady united us and we are moving forward working for the party. I even do not know why he is dragging my name into his issues. I do not call for meetings. That is the duty of the provincial secretary for administration. I am a commissar and so I do not perform those duties. We know he has been invited and has chosen not to attend," said Mashayamombe.
On the trip to Dotito, Mashayamombe said: "There was no need for any invitations. We simply heard that Vice President was hosting a graduation party and we decided to go."

Savanhu was unreachable.