War vets, youths snub Chigwedere

Zanu-PF faction fights took a nasty turn over the weekend when party youths in Mashonaland East province snubbed the party's interim provincial chairman Aeneas Chigwedere and instead invited his deputy Joel Biggie Matiza as the guest speaker during a celebration party at Rudhaka Stadium in Marondera.

The party members were celebrating the recent appointment of President Robert Mugabe as Sadc and African Union chairman.

Thousands of war veterans and party youths drawn from all the province's nine districts converged at Rudhaka Stadium where they were addressed by Matiza in his capacity as Mashonaland East Provincial Affairs minister.

Chigwedere and other party bigwigs did not attend the event.

A top party official said that the event was meant to measure Matiza's popularity ahead of provincial elections to be held next month.