News / Local
Suspensions expose serious Zanu-PF wars
03 Dec 2023 at 17:42hrs | Views
Zanu-PF has lifted the suspension of provincial and district officials in Midlands and Harare with party spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa saying the measures were in violation of a politburo prohibition order.
Mutsvangwa said a politburo order stopping any suspension of party members has not been lifted, and those behind the acts were offside.
Hundreds of Zanu-PF party members had been suspended on various allegations, including defying President Emmerson Mnangagwa, party orders, insubordination and sabotaging the party in the run-up to the August 23 and 24 harmonised elections.
However, Mutsvangwa said Zanu-PF was an organised party with structures and functional systems that respected party orders.
"The politburo position is that people were barred from carrying out such suspensions," Mutsvangwa said.
"People are acting outside of the politburo's decision. I am sure whoever did it, did so outside the politburo decision and will be brought to line."
The Harare provincial executive led by Godwills Masimirembwa had suspended four provincial executive members, Elizabeth Munyeri, Lorraine Vengesai, Oliver Vellem, and Reason Mabhedhla and had written prohibition orders to 23 district officials mainly from the youth wing.
The majority of those suspended were from Zone 6, Southlea, and Mbare. Manyeri and Vengesai were issued with prohibition orders for allegedly failing to mobilise party supporters to attend first lady Auxillia Mnangagwa's event in Mbare last month.
Masimirembwa was reportedly ordered out of the Mbare Netball Complex by the first lady for failing to bus people to fill up the small netball stadium.
He later shifted the blame to Manyeri and Vengesai by suspending them, raising questions about his decision because the duo is from Zone 6, Harare South.
The two are also not commissariat members.
The Harare provincial chairperson is also accused of clamping down on dissent after provincial structures raised questions about his leadership capabilities after the party performed dismally in the capital in the August elections.
In Midlands, over 360 members, including former Nembudziya MP Justice Mayor Wadyajena were suspended for allegedly sabotaging the party's parliamentary candidates.
Most of those suspended were aspiring MPs who lost during the party's primary elections and their supporters.
However, disciplinary hearings failed to kick off after it emerged that top party officials were against the move by the provincial executive.
Mutsvangwa added: "There is a politburo prohibition against such type of action. It is a standing order from the politburo. The politburo position still stands, it has not been rescinded."
Zanu-PF is said to be divided into two warring factions one backing Mnangagwa and the other Vice President Constantino Chiwenga.
Chiwenga has repeatedly denied accusations that he habours ambitions to take over as party leader.
Mutsvangwa said a politburo order stopping any suspension of party members has not been lifted, and those behind the acts were offside.
Hundreds of Zanu-PF party members had been suspended on various allegations, including defying President Emmerson Mnangagwa, party orders, insubordination and sabotaging the party in the run-up to the August 23 and 24 harmonised elections.
However, Mutsvangwa said Zanu-PF was an organised party with structures and functional systems that respected party orders.
"The politburo position is that people were barred from carrying out such suspensions," Mutsvangwa said.
"People are acting outside of the politburo's decision. I am sure whoever did it, did so outside the politburo decision and will be brought to line."
The Harare provincial executive led by Godwills Masimirembwa had suspended four provincial executive members, Elizabeth Munyeri, Lorraine Vengesai, Oliver Vellem, and Reason Mabhedhla and had written prohibition orders to 23 district officials mainly from the youth wing.
The majority of those suspended were from Zone 6, Southlea, and Mbare. Manyeri and Vengesai were issued with prohibition orders for allegedly failing to mobilise party supporters to attend first lady Auxillia Mnangagwa's event in Mbare last month.
Masimirembwa was reportedly ordered out of the Mbare Netball Complex by the first lady for failing to bus people to fill up the small netball stadium.
He later shifted the blame to Manyeri and Vengesai by suspending them, raising questions about his decision because the duo is from Zone 6, Harare South.
The two are also not commissariat members.
The Harare provincial chairperson is also accused of clamping down on dissent after provincial structures raised questions about his leadership capabilities after the party performed dismally in the capital in the August elections.
In Midlands, over 360 members, including former Nembudziya MP Justice Mayor Wadyajena were suspended for allegedly sabotaging the party's parliamentary candidates.
Most of those suspended were aspiring MPs who lost during the party's primary elections and their supporters.
However, disciplinary hearings failed to kick off after it emerged that top party officials were against the move by the provincial executive.
Mutsvangwa added: "There is a politburo prohibition against such type of action. It is a standing order from the politburo. The politburo position still stands, it has not been rescinded."
Zanu-PF is said to be divided into two warring factions one backing Mnangagwa and the other Vice President Constantino Chiwenga.
Chiwenga has repeatedly denied accusations that he habours ambitions to take over as party leader.
Source - the standard
