Rugare Gumbo blasts Mugabe - Audio

Expelled ruling Zanu-PF former spokesman, Rugare Gumbo, has blasted President Robert Mugabe for negating the principles of the party by seeking to amend its constitution to give himself powers to single handedly appoint party leaders.

The amendments are seen by allies of under fire Vice President Joice Mujuru as unconstitutional measures to purge them.

The party Central Committee was locked in a meeting Wednesday evening in Harare to amend the Zanu-PF constitution. But Gumbo, who was first suspended for five years and has now been expelled, joined former war veterans leader, Jabulani Sibanda, in the political wilderness.

Party national chairman, Simon Khaya Moyo, who is now doubling as the party spokesperson, made the announcement after the Central Committee meeting in Harare that the decision to expel Gumbo was arrived at during the meeting.

Gumbo, who was interviewed before the latest developments, told VOA Studio 7 that the move to amend the constitution is against the party principles and is one of the reasons he fell out of favor with Mugabe as he vehemently opposed it.