News / National
Zanu-PF, war vets hail Mugabe's move
26 Apr 2016 at 07:04hrs | Views
Zanu-PF wings and war veterans have welcomed President Mugabe's move to establish the National Disciplinary Appeals Committee (NDAC) saying the structure will bring peace and stability in the party.
President Mugabe, who is the Zanu-PF First Secretary, called for the establishment of the NDAC to consider appeals from party members aggrieved by either their suspension or expulsion as overseen by the National Disciplinary Committee (NDC).
The setting up of the new tribunal comes after some party members expressed reservations with the NDC, whose officials sometimes brought cases as complainants and at the same time arbitrated over them without giving the alleged offenders an opportunity to defend themselves.
Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko, who used to chair the NDC, will take over chairmanship of the NDAC.
Zanu-PF secretary for legal affairs Patrick Chinamasa becomes the NDC chair.
Other members of the NDAC would be drawn from the Central Committee, which is the party's highest decision making body between Congresses.
Zanu-PF Youth League secretary Pupurai Togarepi yesterday said with the new panel, Zanu-PF was headed for endless stability as party cadres would not be fired or suspended wantonly.
"It has always been the President's call for fairness in dealing with disciplinary issues," he said.
"The committee will obviously create checks and balances in dealing with disciplinary issues and appeals thereof. We applaud His Excellency for giving leadership to this important organ. It will create a sense of fair treatment among party cadres."
It has emerged that since the establishment of the NDAC, about 30 Zanu-PF cadres have since lodged appeals with the party's secretary for administration, Dr Ignatius Chombo.
The majority of the appeals want the new tribunal to forgive them for what they did while others are complaining that the penalties imposed on them were "too harsh".
Zanu-PF Women's League national commissar Mabel Chinomona said: "We welcome and support this initiative because this shows that the party has democracy. If someone is not satisfied with the outcome of the NDC, he or she has a right to appeal and this constitutes democracy which we have always preached since the liberation struggle.
"Party members simply have to go to another stage or committee where they think their cases can be understood in a just manner, there is nothing wrong with that and this is a step in the right direction."
Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association spokesperson Douglas Mahiya said the much desired solidity in Zanu-PF would be brought by the new arrangement.
"I am informed that the Vice President (Mphoko) is going to chair that committee and as war veterans we say this is a good move made by the President which will definitely bring peace and stability in the party," he said.
"As an association we are very grateful about that. All the same we would have wanted to see, among the Central Committee members, war veterans being involved as stockholders. Even other stockholder associations like the Zimbabwe Liberation War Collaborators Association should be involved because these are the groups that had raised eyebrows that there is something wrong in the party. This will ensure people, like what happened before, wont filter in their personal interests. To avoid a repeat or come up with an improved product this is a better move we are happy about."
It is understood the majority of those who have appealed against their suspensions are those suspended for allegedly aligning themselves to sacked former Vice President Joice Mujuru and her cabal which sought to unseat President Mugabe.
Among those said to have lodged appeals are former Politburo members, Cdes Webster Shamu and Nicholas Goche.
The two have not joined Dr Mujuru, who has since formed a political party, Zimbabwe People First.
Former secretary for Administration in the Women's League, Esphinah Nhari, who got a three-year suspension for chanting a slogan "Down with G40", has also lodged an appeal.
The NDC was composed of VP Mphoko (chairperson), Cdes Chinamasa and Togarepi, national political commissar Saviour Kasukuwere and Women's League Secretary, Amai Grace Mugabe.
President Mugabe, who is the Zanu-PF First Secretary, called for the establishment of the NDAC to consider appeals from party members aggrieved by either their suspension or expulsion as overseen by the National Disciplinary Committee (NDC).
The setting up of the new tribunal comes after some party members expressed reservations with the NDC, whose officials sometimes brought cases as complainants and at the same time arbitrated over them without giving the alleged offenders an opportunity to defend themselves.
Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko, who used to chair the NDC, will take over chairmanship of the NDAC.
Zanu-PF secretary for legal affairs Patrick Chinamasa becomes the NDC chair.
Other members of the NDAC would be drawn from the Central Committee, which is the party's highest decision making body between Congresses.
Zanu-PF Youth League secretary Pupurai Togarepi yesterday said with the new panel, Zanu-PF was headed for endless stability as party cadres would not be fired or suspended wantonly.
"It has always been the President's call for fairness in dealing with disciplinary issues," he said.
"The committee will obviously create checks and balances in dealing with disciplinary issues and appeals thereof. We applaud His Excellency for giving leadership to this important organ. It will create a sense of fair treatment among party cadres."
It has emerged that since the establishment of the NDAC, about 30 Zanu-PF cadres have since lodged appeals with the party's secretary for administration, Dr Ignatius Chombo.
Zanu-PF Women's League national commissar Mabel Chinomona said: "We welcome and support this initiative because this shows that the party has democracy. If someone is not satisfied with the outcome of the NDC, he or she has a right to appeal and this constitutes democracy which we have always preached since the liberation struggle.
"Party members simply have to go to another stage or committee where they think their cases can be understood in a just manner, there is nothing wrong with that and this is a step in the right direction."
Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association spokesperson Douglas Mahiya said the much desired solidity in Zanu-PF would be brought by the new arrangement.
"I am informed that the Vice President (Mphoko) is going to chair that committee and as war veterans we say this is a good move made by the President which will definitely bring peace and stability in the party," he said.
"As an association we are very grateful about that. All the same we would have wanted to see, among the Central Committee members, war veterans being involved as stockholders. Even other stockholder associations like the Zimbabwe Liberation War Collaborators Association should be involved because these are the groups that had raised eyebrows that there is something wrong in the party. This will ensure people, like what happened before, wont filter in their personal interests. To avoid a repeat or come up with an improved product this is a better move we are happy about."
It is understood the majority of those who have appealed against their suspensions are those suspended for allegedly aligning themselves to sacked former Vice President Joice Mujuru and her cabal which sought to unseat President Mugabe.
Among those said to have lodged appeals are former Politburo members, Cdes Webster Shamu and Nicholas Goche.
The two have not joined Dr Mujuru, who has since formed a political party, Zimbabwe People First.
Former secretary for Administration in the Women's League, Esphinah Nhari, who got a three-year suspension for chanting a slogan "Down with G40", has also lodged an appeal.
The NDC was composed of VP Mphoko (chairperson), Cdes Chinamasa and Togarepi, national political commissar Saviour Kasukuwere and Women's League Secretary, Amai Grace Mugabe.
Source - the herald
