Kaukonde booted out

Harare Bureau
MASHONALAND East Zanu-PF provincial chairperson Ray Kaukonde was yesterday booted out through a vote of no confidence passed on him and some members of his executive, becoming the eighth provincal chair to face the same fate.Cde Phineas Chihota has been appointed acting chairperson.

The other Zanu-PF provincial chairpersons kicked out in recent weeks are Cdes Temba Mliswa (Mashonaland West), Callisto Gwanetsa (Masvingo), Jason Machaya (Midlands), Amos Midzi (Harare), Andrew Langa (Matabeleland South), Professor Callistus Ndlovu (Bulawayo) and John Mvundura (Manicaland).

Cde Chihota yesterday said 27 members of the provincial executive out of 50 voted for the ouster of Cde Kaukonde and seven other members of his executive.

“The members of the executive passed the vote of no confidence on Cde Kaukonde because they doubted his sincerity in terms of driving programmes while he was also working against the party by fanning factionalism,” he said.

“He was also taking advantage of other people including women in implementation of programmes as well as practising individualism.”

The members of his executive also booted out were political commissar Cde Tendai Makunde and his deputy Cde George Katsande, deputy secretary for security Cde Washington Musvaire, deputy secretary for finance Cde Felix Mhona, secretary for education Cde Taurai Pasirai, secretary for administration Cde Peter Murwira and Cde Boniface Mutize.

Last week, war veterans, youths and women attempted to pass a vote of no confidence against Cde Kaukonde after a demonstration in Marondera, but their move was of no effect as it was not constitutional.

The move only had the effect of leaving Cde Kaukonde on the brink as the war veterans led a push to kick him out, but he could only be ousted if the Provincial Executive Council passed the vote of no confidence in his leadership according to the party’s constitution.

The appropriate organ to pass the vote of no confidence in Cde Kaukonde was the provincial executive council.

Cde Kaukonde was identified by First Lady Cde Grace Mugabe as the financial kingpin of a plot led by Vice President Joice Mujuru to oust President Mugabe.

The First Lady said Cde Kaukonde was wearing a fake smile for the First Family when he was at the forefront of denigrating the President.

There has been simmering anger from Zanu-PF members in the province from the Women’s League, the Youth League, the main wing and war veterans against Cde Kaukonde following revelations that he was supporting efforts to oust President Mugabe.