Suspended Zanu-PF deputy chairperson defies Kasukuwere order

SUSPENDED Zanu-PF Midlands deputy provincial chairperson, Daniel McKenzie Ncube yesterday convened a meeting in Kwekwe, defying an order by the party commissar to halt all provincial meetings and party programmes.

On Wednesday, the party's national political commissar, Saviour Kasukuwere, suspended all party meetings and programmes in the Midlands citing unprecedented levels of indiscipline by party members.

Kasukuwere gave a stern warning to alleged divisive elements creating parallel structures saying those found in the wrong would be dealt with accordingly.

In a letter addressed to Zanu-PF Secretary for Education in the Politburo, Dr Jorum Gumbo and copied to Secretary for Administration Dr Ignatius Chombo and the acting Midlands provincial chairperson Tapiwanashe Matangaidze dated March 22, Kasukuwere said meetings would only commence after order had been restored in the province.

However, Ncube called a meeting that was held at Kwekwe Sports Club and attended by party members who were said to be representing the Main Wing, Youth Wing and Women's League.

The guest of honour at the meeting was the secretary-general of the Zimbabwe Liberation War Veterans' Association, Victor Matemadanda, who used the platform to attack the police whom he accused of failing to protect the interests of the people.

"We have sellouts that were integrated into the police force and now they are not discharging their duty well," he said.

Matemadanda also attacked Kasukuwere for suspending party meetings in the province and alleged that the ban was the work of people with an agenda to destroy Zanu-PF from within.

He said war veterans and the Midlands province were fully behind President Mugabe and his family.

"One can't love the President and despise his family. We are fully behind him since he is the centre of power. It is unfortunate that we have people who have access to the First Family and lie about us and say we don't want him and Grace Mugabe. Even in a family, one can't love his father and despise his mother. It doesn't work like that," Matemadanda said.

He said President Mugabe was going to rule the country as long as he was alive.

Last week, Matemadanda was accused by a Gokwe war veteran Stephen Moyo of assaulting him.

Moyo alleged that he was attacked for allegedly rallying behind the First Lady.

Midlands provincial spokesperson Cornelius Mupereri said they were not defying any order since they only learnt about the suspension of party meetings and programmes in the Press.

He said they were only doing outreach programmes to increase the number of supporters in the province.

"We learnt about the suspension from the Press.

"This means that we are not going to hold any more meetings as we wait for the party to give us a direction to take. We are fully behind the party and won't go sideways," he said.

Kasukuwere was not immediately reachable last night.