Zanu-PF members warned over indiscipline

ZANU-PF has said it will not tolerate indiscipline from its members who take party issues to court before exhausting internal grievance channels.

The party's national deputy political commissar, Omega Hungwe, said this yesterday while addressing a Zanu-PF Bulawayo provincial inter-district meeting.

Party members who won district elections during the recent restructuring exercise attended the meeting.

Hungwe said Zanu-PF was aware that there was an individual within the party who lost the party's internal polls and rushed to the courts. She said that is not the Zanu-PF way and anyone with that mentality will not succeed in the ruling party.  

"I have heard that there is someone who is going around saying he was cheated in the election and is taking the matter to the High Court. What for? Zanu-PF issues are for Zanu-PF. I just want to warn you, there is nowhere you are heading politically with that mentality. You are nothing. It's better that you address your concerns to senior party members. We have a culture that when one has grievances we discuss the matter internally. What do you want to show by going to the courts? This is a political party, this is not Government, it's a political party," she said.

Hungwe said party members should follow party channels as prescribed by the Zanu-PF constitution.

She said the party's national chairperson Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri working with the legal affairs department is responsible for handling internal grievances. Hungwe said some rowdy party members were buying and bringing beer to Davies Hall, behaviour that is intolerable to the ruling party.  

"We also understand that he is the one who was buying beer and bringing it here during the youth meeting. This is not a beer hall or bar. No one should drink beer while on these premises. You are soiling the party's reputation. You are soiling the President's reputation," she said.

Turning to the party's provincial elections whose results were nullified recently, Hungwe said the polls would be held soon.

She said Zanu-PF would ensure that only fully subscribed members with the party's electronic card will participate in the provincial elections. Hungwe said in the previous provincial elections, the party had erred in allowing individuals who do not hold any positions to vote.

"We had rushed to conduct provincial elections without submitting a report to the Politburo that we had elected district officials. Branch members and those without any post in the party cannot vote for provincial members. It's you (district officers) who vote.  

"Previously we made a mistake by allowing everyone to vote in the elections. I'm here to mobilise on party card issues. If you still have a card with the former President, you no longer have a card. President Emmerson Mnangagwa has said the party's card should now only have a Zanu-PF flag and Zanu-PF logo," she said.

"Everyone from the cell to branch and district should have the party's card. Provincial elections are coming and there is no one who will participate without their Zanu-PF card. The moment you swipe using that card it detects that so and so has a subscription debt, so and so has made their payments".  

Hungwe said she was expecting about 100 000 party members to have registered on the party's electronic card in a week's time.