News / National
Zanu-PF youth leader suspended over ED 2030
20 May 2024 at 11:51hrs | Views
AS political manoeuvres to extend President Emmerson Mnangagwa's term beyond 2028 through the backdoor gathers momentum, a Zanu-PF youth leader, opposed to the move, has been suspended for resistance and faces expulsion from the party.
The campaign to extend Mnangagwa's term to 2030 started in earnest in Masvingo and has now moved to the Midlands province, the President's political stronghold.
Although Mnangagwa has said he does not want a third term, his Midlands allies insist he will still be in charge in 2030, something which needs a change of the constitution to happen.
The internal fight over this issue is beginning to claim political casualties as tensions grow.
Danmore Mambondiyani, the Zanu-PF deputy secretary for administration, has been barred from executing his duties amid allegations of vote-buying and his opposition to the 2030 plan.
Officially, Mambondiyani is accused of bringing to a national youth executive meeting a bag supposedly full of money before going to the deputy secretary for youth affairs John Paradza and secretary for youth affairs Tinotenda Machakaire to give them US$200 and US$100 respectively.
Machakaire is Youth Empowerment minister, while Paradza is Environment deputy minister.
However, insiders say charges against Mambondiyani actually stem from a Zanu-PF national executive meeting held on 9 May in which he refused to chant slogans demanding the extension of Mnangagwa's term beyond the constitutional two five-year term limit.
The youth national executive meeting was organised to co-opt eight members of the national executive.
Deputy Finance minister Kudakwashe Mnangagwa - the President's son - was appointed deputy secretary for external affairs in a process that was denounced as imposition.
Among other appointments are Sports deputy minister Emily Jasaya co-opted as the deputy secretary for mines and Charles Munganasa as deputy secretary for local government.
Munganasa a board member of the state-controlled Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC), was recently appointed acting chief executive of the propaganda megaphone.
During the meeting, Mambondiyani was quizzed why he was not chanting slogans promoting the extension of Mnangagwa's term beyond 2028 when everyone was doing so.
Zanu-PF youth league sources say the real reason Mambondiyani is in trouble is that he is known for saying Mnangagwa should cede power to his deputy Constantino Chiwenga once his term ends in 2028.
In a letter to Mambondiyani, Zanu-PF youth secretary for legal affairs Phineas Makombe write:
"Please kindly take note that on Thursday the 9th of May 2024 during the National Executive Council of the Youth League, you exhibited conduct unbecoming of a National Executive Member. Chapter 6 Article 38 (filing vacancies) sec (554) provides conduct and manner over how co-options or vacancies shall be filed in any party structure.
"However, to the contrary, you yourself Cde Mambondiyani came with a bag supposedly full of money went to the Deputy Secretary for Youth Affairs Cde T Machakaire opened the bag in full view of the media and the National Executive Council and gave Cde Paradza 200 United States dollars and Cde Machakaire US$100.
"You further went on to chant publicly ‘Vote Cde Mambondiyani' for a certain vacant post in the National Executive Council of the Youth League, before and during the meeting. The above conduct in full view of the media insinuates that party vacancies or post can be acquired through vote buying, these actions further disregard constitutional provisional stated in Chapter 6 Articles 38 sec (550) (6)."
Added Makombe: "The chanting of your name by yourself during the apex meeting and in a disrespectful manner are consistent to Chapter (6) Article (38) sec (550) (9) whereas this refers to Article 37 sec 549 (8) (11). Given the above charges you are hereby in terms of Chapter (5) Article (36) sec (528) Prohibited to act on behalf or as the Deputy Secretary for Administration of the National Youth League Executive Council. Kindly take note that by issue of this Prohibition Order, your matter shall be directed to the National Disciplinary Committee for further action and guidance."
A Zanu-PF insider said Mambondiyani's real crime is his opposition to the 2030 plan.
"He is very clear that Mnangagwa must not extend his term, but should give Chiwenga an opportunity to take over when his term ends in 2028," said the insider.
Mnangagwa and Chiwenga are locked in a fierce power struggle over succession.
Although they were allies when they ousted the late former president Robert Mugabe in 2017, they have been fighting over the party's unsettled leadership question.
Their deal was that Mnangagwa would serve one term and leave in 2023 for Chiwenga to come in, but the President reneged on that.
Now he actually wants to extend his rule beyond 2028 to 2030, something Chiwenga and his allies such as Mambondiyani are fiercely opposed to.
The campaign to extend Mnangagwa's term to 2030 started in earnest in Masvingo and has now moved to the Midlands province, the President's political stronghold.
Although Mnangagwa has said he does not want a third term, his Midlands allies insist he will still be in charge in 2030, something which needs a change of the constitution to happen.
The internal fight over this issue is beginning to claim political casualties as tensions grow.
Danmore Mambondiyani, the Zanu-PF deputy secretary for administration, has been barred from executing his duties amid allegations of vote-buying and his opposition to the 2030 plan.
Officially, Mambondiyani is accused of bringing to a national youth executive meeting a bag supposedly full of money before going to the deputy secretary for youth affairs John Paradza and secretary for youth affairs Tinotenda Machakaire to give them US$200 and US$100 respectively.
Machakaire is Youth Empowerment minister, while Paradza is Environment deputy minister.
However, insiders say charges against Mambondiyani actually stem from a Zanu-PF national executive meeting held on 9 May in which he refused to chant slogans demanding the extension of Mnangagwa's term beyond the constitutional two five-year term limit.
The youth national executive meeting was organised to co-opt eight members of the national executive.
Deputy Finance minister Kudakwashe Mnangagwa - the President's son - was appointed deputy secretary for external affairs in a process that was denounced as imposition.
Among other appointments are Sports deputy minister Emily Jasaya co-opted as the deputy secretary for mines and Charles Munganasa as deputy secretary for local government.
Munganasa a board member of the state-controlled Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC), was recently appointed acting chief executive of the propaganda megaphone.
Zanu-PF youth league sources say the real reason Mambondiyani is in trouble is that he is known for saying Mnangagwa should cede power to his deputy Constantino Chiwenga once his term ends in 2028.
In a letter to Mambondiyani, Zanu-PF youth secretary for legal affairs Phineas Makombe write:
"Please kindly take note that on Thursday the 9th of May 2024 during the National Executive Council of the Youth League, you exhibited conduct unbecoming of a National Executive Member. Chapter 6 Article 38 (filing vacancies) sec (554) provides conduct and manner over how co-options or vacancies shall be filed in any party structure.
"However, to the contrary, you yourself Cde Mambondiyani came with a bag supposedly full of money went to the Deputy Secretary for Youth Affairs Cde T Machakaire opened the bag in full view of the media and the National Executive Council and gave Cde Paradza 200 United States dollars and Cde Machakaire US$100.
"You further went on to chant publicly ‘Vote Cde Mambondiyani' for a certain vacant post in the National Executive Council of the Youth League, before and during the meeting. The above conduct in full view of the media insinuates that party vacancies or post can be acquired through vote buying, these actions further disregard constitutional provisional stated in Chapter 6 Articles 38 sec (550) (6)."
Added Makombe: "The chanting of your name by yourself during the apex meeting and in a disrespectful manner are consistent to Chapter (6) Article (38) sec (550) (9) whereas this refers to Article 37 sec 549 (8) (11). Given the above charges you are hereby in terms of Chapter (5) Article (36) sec (528) Prohibited to act on behalf or as the Deputy Secretary for Administration of the National Youth League Executive Council. Kindly take note that by issue of this Prohibition Order, your matter shall be directed to the National Disciplinary Committee for further action and guidance."
A Zanu-PF insider said Mambondiyani's real crime is his opposition to the 2030 plan.
"He is very clear that Mnangagwa must not extend his term, but should give Chiwenga an opportunity to take over when his term ends in 2028," said the insider.
Mnangagwa and Chiwenga are locked in a fierce power struggle over succession.
Although they were allies when they ousted the late former president Robert Mugabe in 2017, they have been fighting over the party's unsettled leadership question.
Their deal was that Mnangagwa would serve one term and leave in 2023 for Chiwenga to come in, but the President reneged on that.
Now he actually wants to extend his rule beyond 2028 to 2030, something Chiwenga and his allies such as Mambondiyani are fiercely opposed to.
Source - newshawks
