Anti-Mujuru demos turn violent

VIOLENCE was the order of the day yesterday as Zanu-PF members fought among each other in Gwanda and Marondera in the latest twist to the party's succession battles ahead of the next month's elective congress.

Votes of no confidence were passed in bizarre fashion on Zanu-PF chairman Andrew Langa and Ray Kaukonde of Matabeleland South and Mashonaland East, respectively.

Langa is accused of describing First Lady Grace Mugabe as a mad woman among a host of charges, while Kaukonde faces accusations of disrespecting the First Family.

In both Gwanda and Marondera anti-riot police had to be called in to quell the belligerent Zanu-PF supporters, but in both cases the cops at times watched helplessly as party members did as they pleased.

A planned demonstration against Langa failed to take place in Gwanda after his supporters, including members of his family, violently dealt with the protesters, who carried placards denouncing the Matabeleland South chairman.

Members of the public and civil servants at the government complex adjacent to Zanu-PF offices witnessed the skirmishes that characterised the meeting for the better part of the day.

Some of the placards read "Andrew Langa puppet ka Dr 10%" and "Phansi lama chairman efake", but as the protesters moved towards the party offices, they were intercepted by Langa's supporters including his brother Ben, who grabbed the placards and shredded them.

One of the protesters, Muridzo Muchineripi was assaulted with an open hand, while there was some pushing and shoving between the warring groups.

"I don't know why I am being assaulted, I was lucky to have removed my shirt otherwise those people would have killed me," Muchineripi said.

The meeting was called to discuss preparations for the party's December congress and Abigail Damasane, who has been appointed to chair the province's preparations, blocked the attempts by Bulilima East MP, Mathias Ndlovu to move a motion of no confidence in Langa during the meeting.

Langa boasted that he was still in charge and those who wanted him out had failed.

"I am still in charge, those who wanted to remove me have failed. I did not witness any violence as I was inside," he said, before walking away.

However, a motion was clandestinely circulated and 31 out of 50 provincial co-ordinating committee (PCC) members signed to have Langa ousted and Rapelang Tswene, who was his deputy, was announced as the party's acting chairman at a meeting called by war veterans.

The motion, proposed by Ndlovu and seconded by Obedingwa Mguni, accuses Langa of disrespecting the First
Family.

"On October 17 2014 at his Lodge in Insiza, Langa insulted the First Lady (Grace Mugabe), saying she was mad and also that she engaged in corruption with (Transport minister) Obert Mpofu," Ndlovu alleged.

"During the First Lady's rally at Amazulu Grounds (in Bulawayo), Langa walked out in protest at the First Lady's speech."

Langa is also accused of sabotaging Grace's Gwanda rally by cancelling 10 buses at the last minute that were meant to ferry supporters to the rally.

The Sport, Arts and Culture minister is accused of mobilising certain youths to disrupt the rally.

"The chairman, therefore, turned to factionalism and attempted to align the province to a faction that does not recognise the First Family," reads the motion.

Matabeleland South provincial war veteran's chairperson Never Ncube said they supported the ouster of both Langa and war veterans chairman Jabulani Sibanda.

The war veterans accuse Langa of defending whites and of blocking Provincial Affairs minister Abedinico Ncube from performing his duties.

In Marondera, demonstrators broke down a perimeter wall and laid siege on the party's provincial offices as they demanded Kaukonde's ouster.

Various district executives called for a motion of no confidence on Kaukonde, but reports indicate that the beleaguered chairman lives to fight another day, as the motion was not an official one.