ZimPF implosion has nothing to do with Zanu-PF, says Chombo

Zanu-PF is not amused by accusations that it has a hand in the fissures that rocked Zimbabwe People First party and considers it an insult to be associated with expelled members. Addressing party supporters at Chininga, Raffingora in Zvimba North constituency on Sunday, the party's national secretary for administration Ignatius Chombo dismissed the allegations, saying the party was too busy delivering its mandate to the people.

"The media approached me last week to respond to the allegations and I was left seething to the point of almost insulting them," he said. "Where do we come in as Zanu-PF in issues to do with the People First?

"How do we get involved in issues to do with people we expelled from the party?"

ZimPF imploded on Wednesday last week with rival factions announcing expulsions and counter-expulsions, amid reports of differences over coalition talks with MDC-T. Interim party leader Joice Mujuru convened a Press conference at her Chisipite home to announce the expulsion of seven of her party's top officials.

These included Messrs Didymus Mutasa, Rugare Gumbo, Kudakwashe Bhasikiti, Munacho Mutezo, Claudious Makova, Lucky Kandemiri and Mrs Margaret Dongo, whom she accused of plotting a "coup d'état".

She also accused the former leaders of being Zanu-PF infiltrators bent on destabilising her party. Two hours later, Mr Mutasa and his group responded by announcing the expulsion of Dr Mujuru from the same party.

"We are not concerned with what happens in that party," Chombo said. "Even if they kill each other, we are not concerned. We will just arrest those who would have committed the crime.

"They have serious problems in ZimPF, they might even take each other to the queen (the UK's Queen Elizabeth), but we do not care."

Chombo castigated party leaders in the constituency for engaging in corrupt activities.
He was responding to reports that land hungry villagers were losing their livestock as payment to be resettled in the area.

"If you are coming from any other party of Zimbabwe and you want land, there is no need for you to pay leaders because that is a crime," he said.

"Government is not happy, even the police, with reports that villagers give cattle to the councillor or goats to the village head to get land for resettlement."

Chombo said Government would assist the villagers to reclaim their property. He paid tribute to farmers in the constituency for the effort made during the current agricultural season. A group of doctors from Zimbabwe and South Korea will soon visit the constituency to offer free healthcare services to villagers.

Chombo and the Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe Mr Huang Ping will on Thursday officially open one of the 10 schools built in the constituency.