News / Local
Mnangagwa reads riot act to Zanu-PF big wheels
28 Mar 2021 at 11:26hrs | Views
PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa has once again read the riot act to Zanu-PF's district co-ordinating committees (DCCs), saying they must desist from fomenting divisions and advancing personal agendas in the ruling party.
Addressing Zanu-PF's central committee yesterday, Mnangagwa said the respect of the former liberation movement's constitution, as well as loyalty, discipline and servant leadership should always be the party's guiding principles.
"It is pleasing that all district co-ordinating committees (DCCs) are now fully constituted. I urge the central committee to support the relevant departments to nurture and raise political and ideological consciousness among the DCC leadership.
"The respect of the party constitution, loyalty, discipline and servant leadership must always be our guiding principles.
"We are a party that serves the people and serving does not entail having a post. There is no room for unbridled ambitions in the party," Mnangagwa said.
"Those with tendencies of pretending as if party structures are their personal property must stand warned and stop the unbecoming practice.
"We are a people's party. No one can ever change this deep- rooted trait of our colossal, revolutionary party. DCC posts should not be seen as stepping stones for canvassing support for parliamentary and other positions," Mnangagwa added.
"I would like to once again emphasise that DCC structures have a co-ordination function with regards to the operational efficiency of our party.
"In this regard, the implementation of the provisions of the party constitution, policies, programmes and the realisation of the promises made in our 2018 election manifesto should be at the centre of DCC activities.
"Such was the spirit behind the re-introduction of this important structure," Mnangagwa said further.
He also urged the party to intensify its preparations for the 2023 national elections, adding that his government was working hard to fight corruption.
"Veterans of our liberation struggle, as a strategic party structure, are challenged to display their unflinching war time vibrancy and mobilisation acumen as we prepare for the 2023 elections
"The fight against corruption continues unabated across all sectors of the economy. Government is seized with addressing issues arising from illegal settlements and poor service delivery in urban local authorities.
"Determined to overcome the challenges being faced by our urban residents, the party must seize every available opportunity to engage the urban residents.
"The ground is fertile for us to vote out the corrupt and squabbling opposition," Mnangagwa said.
The Zanu-PF boss also alleged that an opposition leader had shunned the government's Covid-19 vaccination programme because he had been inoculated at a Western embassy.
"On Wednesday, it was the first time we were joined by leaders of all political parties except one, but rumour has it that the other one was vaccinated at a Western embassy.
"We shall discover as we go. We can see the political environment in our country … The national thanksgiving service and national vaccination programme in Victoria Falls reinforced the culture that promotes unity of purpose, national cohesion and oneness in our country.
"As leaders in various provinces, we are exhorted to further entrench unity, peace, love and harmony among our people," Mnangagwa said.
This comes after Zanu-PF national political commissar, Victor Matemadanda, was cut loose from the top leadership of the ruling party, as divisions continue to ravage the former liberation movement.
Well-placed sources confirmed the development to the Daily News On Sunday's sister paper, the Daily News, at the weekend - adding that the war veterans secretary general was also set to lose his ministerial post, with Mnangagwa said to be preparing to give him a diplomatic posting.
Matemadanda, who is also deputy Defence minister, stands accused of acting unilaterally in his bid to diffuse internal party tensions triggered by the recently restored but divisive DCC.
All this also comes after Mnangagwa blew a fuse during a Zanu-PF politburo meeting in Harare on Thursday, warning his errant lieutenants that gossiping, rumour-mongering and petty jealousies would not be tolerated in the party.
Insiders told the Daily News that Mnangagwa had told Thursday's politburo meeting that he was redeploying Matemadanda from the commissariat, with the intention of posting him abroad as an ambassador.
"Matemadanda has been chopped from the politburo. The president announced that he will become one of the country's ambassadors abroad.
"This means that he will no longer be a member of the politburo and will stop being deputy Defence minister soon.
"The president didn't disclose the reasons for the redeployment, but the suspicion is that he was not happy with how Matemadanda conducted the DCC elections and the continued factionalism in the party," one of the sources said.
Speculation was also rife within Zanu-PF circles that Matemadanda would become the country's ambassador to Mozambique - replacing the late national hero, retired army Major-General Douglas Nyikayaramba, who succumbed to Covid-19 in February this year.
Other sources told the Daily News that the decision to demote Matemadanda came after he allegedly and unilaterally wrote a circular to DCCs and Zanu-PF's provincial chairpersons on March 15, ordering them to stop convening all unconstitutional meetings.
The DCCs - which were scrapped in 2012 at the height of Zanu-PF's factional, tribal and succession wars, in the twilight of the late former president Robert Mugabe's rule - stand accused of usurping the powers of other organs of the ruling party.
Party officials confirmed to the Daily News earlier this week that the DCCs had become "a major headache" within the former liberation movement - prompting Matemadanda to issue a strong warning against the abuse of the structures.
In the March 15 circular to Zanu-PF's provincial and DCC chairpersons, Matemadanda ordered the divisive structures to stop convening all unconstitutional meetings forthwith.
"The commissariat department has noted with great concern the abuse of office by the DCCs through the exercise of power and authority that is not granted to them by the party's constitution.
"This circular is designed and issued to correct and bring to an end all activities and decisions that DCCs mistakenly believe are within their limits of discretion and directs all members of the DCCs to note that with immediate effect no such decisions and activities shall be permitted unless as directed by the commissariat headquarters through the auspices of the provincial political commissar," he wrote.
Matemadanda also reminded the DCCs that they did not have disciplinary powers and, therefore, "at no time should they undertake disciplinary action against members of the district councils or any lower organs".
"DCCs have no power of co-option and as such, any co-options that were made under the direction or supervision of the DCCs remain unauthorised and invalid.
"DCCs have no power to organise and cause elections of district executive council. Any elections conducted at the instigation and supervision of the DCCs is null and void.
"Removal of district executives through a process of no confidence votes engineered by the DCCs is invalid," Matemadanda warned.
"DCCs have no power to create own programmes without consultation with, and obtaining prior approval of the provincial political commissar.
"All purported campaigns for positions currently held by a sitting MP or local authority councillor or a rural district councillor and or shadow MP are not permitted.
"Violations of instructions issued under this circular will not be tolerated and may attract disciplinary action as appropriate," Matemadanda thundered further.
The DCC structures elect Zanu-PF's 10 provincial executives - where the party and Mnangagwa draw members of the central committee and the politburo from.
The party's DCCs were disbanded in 2012 after they were deemed to be fanning factionalism during Mnangagwa and former vice president Joice Mujuru's battles to succeed Mugabe.
The run-up to last year's DCC polls was also marred by allegations of bribery, factionalism and tribalism - with party wars coming to a head in October when violent youths disrupted the former liberation movement's primary elections for the upcoming Kwekwe Central Parliamentary by-election.
Addressing Zanu-PF's central committee yesterday, Mnangagwa said the respect of the former liberation movement's constitution, as well as loyalty, discipline and servant leadership should always be the party's guiding principles.
"It is pleasing that all district co-ordinating committees (DCCs) are now fully constituted. I urge the central committee to support the relevant departments to nurture and raise political and ideological consciousness among the DCC leadership.
"The respect of the party constitution, loyalty, discipline and servant leadership must always be our guiding principles.
"We are a party that serves the people and serving does not entail having a post. There is no room for unbridled ambitions in the party," Mnangagwa said.
"Those with tendencies of pretending as if party structures are their personal property must stand warned and stop the unbecoming practice.
"We are a people's party. No one can ever change this deep- rooted trait of our colossal, revolutionary party. DCC posts should not be seen as stepping stones for canvassing support for parliamentary and other positions," Mnangagwa added.
"I would like to once again emphasise that DCC structures have a co-ordination function with regards to the operational efficiency of our party.
"In this regard, the implementation of the provisions of the party constitution, policies, programmes and the realisation of the promises made in our 2018 election manifesto should be at the centre of DCC activities.
"Such was the spirit behind the re-introduction of this important structure," Mnangagwa said further.
He also urged the party to intensify its preparations for the 2023 national elections, adding that his government was working hard to fight corruption.
"Veterans of our liberation struggle, as a strategic party structure, are challenged to display their unflinching war time vibrancy and mobilisation acumen as we prepare for the 2023 elections
"The fight against corruption continues unabated across all sectors of the economy. Government is seized with addressing issues arising from illegal settlements and poor service delivery in urban local authorities.
"Determined to overcome the challenges being faced by our urban residents, the party must seize every available opportunity to engage the urban residents.
"The ground is fertile for us to vote out the corrupt and squabbling opposition," Mnangagwa said.
The Zanu-PF boss also alleged that an opposition leader had shunned the government's Covid-19 vaccination programme because he had been inoculated at a Western embassy.
"On Wednesday, it was the first time we were joined by leaders of all political parties except one, but rumour has it that the other one was vaccinated at a Western embassy.
"We shall discover as we go. We can see the political environment in our country … The national thanksgiving service and national vaccination programme in Victoria Falls reinforced the culture that promotes unity of purpose, national cohesion and oneness in our country.
"As leaders in various provinces, we are exhorted to further entrench unity, peace, love and harmony among our people," Mnangagwa said.
This comes after Zanu-PF national political commissar, Victor Matemadanda, was cut loose from the top leadership of the ruling party, as divisions continue to ravage the former liberation movement.
Well-placed sources confirmed the development to the Daily News On Sunday's sister paper, the Daily News, at the weekend - adding that the war veterans secretary general was also set to lose his ministerial post, with Mnangagwa said to be preparing to give him a diplomatic posting.
Matemadanda, who is also deputy Defence minister, stands accused of acting unilaterally in his bid to diffuse internal party tensions triggered by the recently restored but divisive DCC.
Insiders told the Daily News that Mnangagwa had told Thursday's politburo meeting that he was redeploying Matemadanda from the commissariat, with the intention of posting him abroad as an ambassador.
"Matemadanda has been chopped from the politburo. The president announced that he will become one of the country's ambassadors abroad.
"This means that he will no longer be a member of the politburo and will stop being deputy Defence minister soon.
"The president didn't disclose the reasons for the redeployment, but the suspicion is that he was not happy with how Matemadanda conducted the DCC elections and the continued factionalism in the party," one of the sources said.
Speculation was also rife within Zanu-PF circles that Matemadanda would become the country's ambassador to Mozambique - replacing the late national hero, retired army Major-General Douglas Nyikayaramba, who succumbed to Covid-19 in February this year.
Other sources told the Daily News that the decision to demote Matemadanda came after he allegedly and unilaterally wrote a circular to DCCs and Zanu-PF's provincial chairpersons on March 15, ordering them to stop convening all unconstitutional meetings.
The DCCs - which were scrapped in 2012 at the height of Zanu-PF's factional, tribal and succession wars, in the twilight of the late former president Robert Mugabe's rule - stand accused of usurping the powers of other organs of the ruling party.
Party officials confirmed to the Daily News earlier this week that the DCCs had become "a major headache" within the former liberation movement - prompting Matemadanda to issue a strong warning against the abuse of the structures.
In the March 15 circular to Zanu-PF's provincial and DCC chairpersons, Matemadanda ordered the divisive structures to stop convening all unconstitutional meetings forthwith.
"The commissariat department has noted with great concern the abuse of office by the DCCs through the exercise of power and authority that is not granted to them by the party's constitution.
"This circular is designed and issued to correct and bring to an end all activities and decisions that DCCs mistakenly believe are within their limits of discretion and directs all members of the DCCs to note that with immediate effect no such decisions and activities shall be permitted unless as directed by the commissariat headquarters through the auspices of the provincial political commissar," he wrote.
Matemadanda also reminded the DCCs that they did not have disciplinary powers and, therefore, "at no time should they undertake disciplinary action against members of the district councils or any lower organs".
"DCCs have no power of co-option and as such, any co-options that were made under the direction or supervision of the DCCs remain unauthorised and invalid.
"DCCs have no power to organise and cause elections of district executive council. Any elections conducted at the instigation and supervision of the DCCs is null and void.
"Removal of district executives through a process of no confidence votes engineered by the DCCs is invalid," Matemadanda warned.
"DCCs have no power to create own programmes without consultation with, and obtaining prior approval of the provincial political commissar.
"All purported campaigns for positions currently held by a sitting MP or local authority councillor or a rural district councillor and or shadow MP are not permitted.
"Violations of instructions issued under this circular will not be tolerated and may attract disciplinary action as appropriate," Matemadanda thundered further.
The DCC structures elect Zanu-PF's 10 provincial executives - where the party and Mnangagwa draw members of the central committee and the politburo from.
The party's DCCs were disbanded in 2012 after they were deemed to be fanning factionalism during Mnangagwa and former vice president Joice Mujuru's battles to succeed Mugabe.
The run-up to last year's DCC polls was also marred by allegations of bribery, factionalism and tribalism - with party wars coming to a head in October when violent youths disrupted the former liberation movement's primary elections for the upcoming Kwekwe Central Parliamentary by-election.
Source - dailynews
