Zanu-PF purging continues, Sheila Mutsenhu booted out

The Zanu-PF Manicaland provincial youth executive yesterday unanimously passed a vote of no confidence in its deputy secretary for tourism Sheila Mutsenhu and secretary for security Emmanuel Tavaziva for allegedly causing chaos and humiliating top leaders.

This brought the name of the party into disrepute.

The youth provincial leadership arrived at the decision after the two allegedly hired a mob to disrupt last Sunday's provincial co-ordinating committee meeting held at Marymount Teacher's College in Mutare.

They jeered at senior party officials such as Cdes Mandi Chimene, Oppah Muchinguri, Chris Mushohwe, Supa Mandiwanzira, Kelvin Manyengavana and Joseph Chinotimba.

Mutsenhu was bashed thoroughly by angry Zanu-PF youths after she blocked some senior party members from entering the college.

Yesterday's meeting was meant to "reaffirm the youth league's position on presidential and secretary for women's affairs" candidates, and to sign a petition against the controversial Mutsenhu.

Tavaziva walked out of the meeting in shame and disbelief after 30 members present in the meeting signed and agreed that he was the chief perpetrator of violence and indiscipline.

The meeting was under the watchful eye of armed police officers who maintained peace.

Zanu-PF provincial deputy youth chairman Mubuso Chinguno said the rogue elements and "bad oranges" should not go unpunished.

"As youth league (Manicaland), our reputation is now bad, particularly in the media," he said. "We do not condone violence.

"We should separate a few bad oranges from the good ones or else all the oranges become rotten.

"At the national conference, we, as Manicaland, agreed that President Mugabe and Dr Amai Grace Mugabe would be our Presidential and Secretary for Women Affairs candidates respectively for 2018, so is there anyone who has second thoughts?

"These rogue elements are now posing a security threat to our party."

Chinguno added: "We are here to reaffirm our position we took at the national conference.

"We no longer have confidence in the two executive members. What messages are we sending to the nation by booing members of the National Assembly and deputy ministers? We understand it is not everyone who is causing this chaos, but a few traitors."

The youths sang several revolutionary songs that called for love, peace and unity of purpose.

Zanu-PF national deputy secretary for Youth Affairs Kudzanayi Chipanga blessed the vote-of-no confidence passed against the duo, saying those party members who found it hard to support President Mugabe and Amai Mugabe were free to leave Zanu-PF.

"If you are against our (national youth league conference) decision to nominate President Mugabe for the President's post as well as Dr Grace Mugabe as the Secretary for Women Affairs you should simply leave Zanu-PF," he said.

"Kurota uchitonga haisi nyaya asi hazvina kunaka kufamba uchirotomoka."

Chipanga said it was disturbing that there were some senior party members who were blessing the rogue elements.

"We are not going to tolerate elders who interfere with business in the youth league," he said.

"We have accepted the executive members' decision. They are no longer members."