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Zanu-PF refers Chiredzi councillors matter back to Masvingo

by Staff reporter
05 Feb 2019 at 06:42hrs | Views
THE Zanu-PF national disciplinary committee has referred the case involving two Chiredzi West councillors, who voted for an opposition council chair back to the Masvingo provincial committee after it was deemed a small matter. Provincial spokesperson, Ronald Ndava confirmed the development yesterday.

The provincial disciplinary committee on October 2, 2018 wrote prohibitive letters to the two councillors Obert Ngwenya and Josphat Nzombe, for allegedly supporting MDC Alliance's Gibson Hwende as chairman and independent councillor Ropafadzo Makumire for the position of vice-chairperson.

The two were accused of disrespecting the provincial leadership by working with members of the opposition and some party renegades, thus bringing  the name of the party into disrepute.

They were also accused of gross misconduct and disloyalty, including failure to perform duties required of members.

The matter has dragged for over three months and threatened to tear Zanu-PF apart as some supported the pair while others clamoured for their expulsion.

According to Ndava, the disciplinary board resolved to refer the matter back to the provincial leadership and instructed them to conclude the matter in the shortest possible time.

"Yesterday, we sat as the provincial co-ordinating committee (PCC) after we received a report on the disciplinary matters that were referred to the NDC (national disciplinary committee), and the issue of councillors was one of them.  The leadership was tasked to relook at the matter at provincial level, because it was concluded that it was just a trivial matter.

"The provincial leadership includes the national political commissar Englebert Rugeje, Josiah Hungwe, Paul Mangwana, Lovemore Matuke and provincial chairperson Ezra Chadzamira. I am not privy to the time the issue will be finalised, but it is going to be the shortest time possible, because justice delayed is justice denied," Ndava said.   

Zanu-PF MP for Chiredzi West, Farai Musikavanhu, told party supporters on a Zanu-PF WhatsApp group that he was going to meet with the district leadership to take a position for recommendation to the provincial chairperson, who is also Masvingo Provincial Affairs minister Chadzamira, following the developments at Chiredzi Town Council.

However, Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans' Association national political commissar Francis Nhando defended the two councillors and hinted that Zanu-PF would be thrashed by the MDC Alliance if they forced by-elections in the two wards.

 He said the Zanu-PF councillors made the right decision to vote for Hwende and Makumire, who have leadership qualities, and labelled those in influential party positions as unprincipled opportunists who were only worried with lining up their pockets at the expense of the party.

Source - newsday