Candid discussions at PCC meeting

Ray Bande Senior Reporter
TEMPERS flared at Sunday’s Zanu-PF provincial co-ordinating committee meeting held in Mutare as senior party cadres in Manicaland were subjected to intense criticism for allegedly fanning factionalism in the province.

The emotive PCC meeting, one of whose agenda was to audit the progress of the ongoing restructuring in the province, mirrored deep-seated factional fights in the ruling party’s Manicaland structures.

Senior party members in Chipinge East, Headlands and provincial women’s league were blamed for perpetuating factional fights and causing confusion within the party.

The Chipinge party leader stood accused of elevating former Zanu Ndoga leader Mr Wilson Khumbula during several party functions ahead of long-time Zanu PF cadres.

The Headlands party leader is also accused of causing confusion and derailing the ongoing party restructuring while another party leader was accused of abusing a Women’s League vehicle.

In his presentation of the progress made in Chipinge in the party restructuring, Secretary for Lands Cde Simon Mapamba Mampfumo said a senior party leader was propping up Mr Khumbula and disregarding existing party structures in Chipinge.

“We are having problems in Chipinge with the party leader. He seems to be on a mission to prop up Mr Khumbula yet we all know that Khumbula is the same man we were fighting against when we wrestled Chipinge from the hands of Zanu Ndonga.

“Surely the party cannot afford to stand and watch while the leader continues to fan divisions in the party. He has been doing this for some time and we are saying enough is enough. Only recently, he organised an official opening of a signal booster at Tanganda Halt in Chipinge.

“He did this without the knowledge of Cde Supa Mandiwanzira whom we know is in charge of ICTs. As if that was not enough, party structures even the provincial leadership were not informed in time about that particular programme.

“When the provincial leadership was finally made aware of the programme, I was sent to represent the acting provincial chairman Cde Samuel Undenge. To my surprise, when I arrived at the venue, there was Mr Khumbula at the high table, for what reason? In what capacity is he given a place on the high table at a Zanu PF meeting? Do we not have people in the Chipinge party structures with positions that warrant them to get high table positions ahead of of this newcomer, if ever he came?

In Makoni, Deputy Secretary for Administration Cde Joseph Mujati pointed out that another senior party leader was causing confusion in Headlands by ‘overstepping his bounds’ thereby fanning disorder in the ongoing party restructuring.

“In Makoni we are having challenges in the restructuring because the party leaders are not supporting us with resources to use except Cde Mandi Chimene. When the restructuring began, we were informed that leaders, MPs in particular, would chip in with material or financial assistance.

“We are also having challenges with the party leader who seems not know his bounds. He is overstepping his bounds thereby causing confusion as we try to do the groundwork for the restructuring. He is fanning disorder in the ongoing party restructuring in Headlands.

On a separate issue, the party’s youth wing provincial Deputy Secretary for Administration Cde Kudzai Madhara did not mince his words as he bemoaned the alleged abuse of Women’s League vehicle by a party leader.

“He is using a vehicle that we all understand to have been given by the party for Women’s League business but at times the party cannot find a vehicle to use while he is using it,” said Cde Madhara.

Manicaland Senator Cde Shadreck Chipanga also weighed in denouncing the state of affairs in Makoni.

“The provincial executive in Makoni is full of Gamatox. Remember this is the place where we used to have Didymus Mutasa. Meetings are difficult to convene because some leaders do not even bother to attend. I do not know whether they are busy with the new People First project.

“You find that the resources needed in the restructuring that is being talked about are not so much if people pulled in one direction. There is no commitment. Kune mvongamvonga iriko kwaMakoni. There is no order in Makoni, please Cde Chairman, come and redress the situation in Makoni,” said Cde Chipanga.