Buka, Nhema back in Zanu-PF

THE Zanu-PF Politburo and the National Disciplinary Committee have lifted suspensions on former Ministers Francis Nhema and Flora Buka after the province successfully lobbied for their clemency.

The duo was suspended after they were suspected of having associated with former Vice-President Dr Joice Mujuru's cabal which sought to oust President Mugabe through unconstitutional means.

In an interview after a Zanu-PF Midlands Provincial Co-ordinating Committee (PCC) meeting yesterday, interim provincial chairman and Zanu-PF National Secretary for Education, Joram Gumbo said the Politburo had cleared the two former Politburo members after their province and districts recommended their pardon.

Gumbo said Nhema and Buka should be re-integrated into the party and should be involved in all party programmes as they were no longer on suspension.

"What I was advising party members is that Buka and Tsitsi Zhou are non-constituency Members of Parliament (and) should attend all important meetings for the party and be part of the development. Another issue concerns Buka and Nhema, they were on suspension but people misinterpreted as if they were expelled from the party. They remained members of the party. Moreover, in our situation Cdes Buka and Nhema have already been forgiven and we are waiting for the announcement by the Politburo because their issue was not on the agenda on the previous meeting. However, their issue is done as the two have been cleared but we are now waiting for the formal communication," he said.

Addressing members of the party during the PCC meeting, Gumbo said Nhema, Buka, Chiratidzo Mabuwa, Fred Moyo and Tafanana Zhou should be re-integrated into the party and should not be discriminated as has been the case before.

"I want to advice you that you cannot erase the contributions of Nhema, Buka, Mabuwa, Fred Moyo and Tafanana Zhou in the party and these should not be discriminated. Let us not let our personal differences affect the party and soil others and peddle falsehoods against them. We as the leadership should not direct our personal interests at the expense of party interests. We have come of age we cannot be destroyed by individuals," he said.

Mabuwa and Moyo were recently cleared of any wrong doing by the Politburo and their suspensions lifted. Gumbo said he was hoping that the Politburo deliberate on the issue of the Midlands chairmanship soon to allow the province to have a substantive committee.