Knives out for Zanu-PF's Muchinguri Kashiri

Tensions are rising within Zanu PF as party insiders openly criticize national chairperson Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri for failing to organise overdue district coordination committee (DCC) elections, a key party structure whose term has long expired. The DCCs hold significant influence in Zanu PF's internal power dynamics, as leaders derive much of their authority from control over these grassroots bodies.

The DCCs comprise elected representatives from the party's cells and branches, including members from the main wing, women's league, and youth league. Each district contains about 10 branches, whose delegates elect the district executive committee every two years.

Sources within the ruling party told NewsDay that under Muchinguri's leadership, the party has neglected crucial constitutional obligations by not conducting the mandated DCC elections. One senior politburo member lamented, "Our national chairperson has failed to organise for the party. We have no proper structures as we speak, but what is more concerning is that we have failed to conduct DCC elections after the term of the current DCCs expired."

Another party insider expressed frustration, accusing Muchinguri of fostering "retarded leadership" and alleged that she was focused on creating parallel structures amid rumours of her harboring presidential ambitions. "We can't continue with some members who have run out of ideas to run the party," the member said.

However, Zanu PF's director of information, Farai Marapira, dismissed the allegations, insisting that party leadership remains united and focused on a nationwide cell verification exercise. "Since 1963, we have met our constitutional obligations, so there is no panic in our leadership whatsoever," Marapira said. "We are aware that this is the hand of the enemy trying to divide our party, but they have failed."

Political analysts see the current disarray within the DCCs as symptomatic of deeper factionalism within Zanu PF. Historically, the DCCs have been a battleground for competing power blocs. In 2012, the late former President Robert Mugabe disbanded the DCCs amid bitter factional clashes between supporters of then-Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his rival, Joice Mujuru. The DCCs were accused of fuelling divisions that threatened party unity.

President Mnangagwa reinstated the DCCs in 2020 as part of efforts to strengthen party structures ahead of upcoming elections. The DCCs play a pivotal role in determining leadership at provincial levels and influence key appointments to the party's central committee, national constitutive assembly, and the politburo-the party's highest decision-making organ.

Moreover, DCC members serve as delegates with voting rights at party congresses, making control over these committees a critical factor in succession battles within Zanu PF.

As the party navigates these internal tensions, the failure to hold timely DCC elections underscores the challenges Muchinguri-Kashiri faces in managing the delicate balance of power amid simmering factional rivalries.