Zanu-PF suspends Midlands meetings

The Zanu-PF National Political Commissar, Saviour Kasukuwere, has suspended all party meetings and programmes in the Midlands province pending investigations in the wake of heightening levels of indiscipline, characterised by the creation of parallel structures.

Kasukuwere's disciplinary action follows reports that the Zanu-PF Midlands provincial co-ordinating committee held concurrent parallel meetings in Gweru and Mberengwa last week.
Acting provincial chairman Tapiwanashe Matangaidze called for a meeting on development at Senga Training Centre while the other executive members held an outreach meeting in Zvishavane and Mberengwa.
In a letter addressed to Zanu-PF Secretary for Education in the Politburo Dr Joram Gumbo on March 22, Kasukuwere said the party would after the Easter holiday, conduct investigations and take appropriate action against the divisive elements as well as restoring sanity in the province.
"I have learnt with concern the heightening level of indiscipline, characterised by the creation of parallel structures, currently taking place in the Midlands province.
"In an effort to restore order, I am forced to suspend all party meetings and programmes in the Midlands province until my visit and assessment of the prevailing situation to be scheduled soon after the Easter holiday.
"As the most senior, it is my hope that you will advise the Midlands province accordingly," reads the letter which was also copied to the Secretary for Administration in the Politburo, Dr Ignatius Chombo, and Matangaidze.
The Zanu-PF provincial executive had called for an outreach meeting in Gokwe, but it was called off after police dispersed people as the meeting was unsanctioned.
The party's Midlands spokesperson, Cornelius Mpereri, had advised The Herald that the outreach meetings would be held throughout the province as they would be conducting the party restructuring exercise as adopted by the provincial calendar.
He dismissed allegations that the meetings were meant to counter Matangaidze's PCC meetings saying the meetings were properly constituted and were a mandate and imperative to the province.
Midlands vice chairperson Daniel McKenzie Ncube confirmed receiving the communication, but said they would finish up the outreach meetings that had been organised by the provincial executive committee.
He could neither deny nor confirm that the meeting scheduled for Gokwe was stopped by police.
""I can confirm that I have received communication from Kasukuwere to the effect that we should suspend all the party meetings and programmes in the province with immediate effect.
"However, we asked to finish up the outreach meetings that we had organised and we are going to conduct our last meeting in Kwekwe tomorrow (today)," he said.
Matangaidze also confirmed receiving the letter, but could not shed more light on the matter.
"Yes, there is a directive that came from the national commissar Kasukuwere to that effect," he said.