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Midlands Bureau Chief
THE Zanu-PF Midlands executive was finally announced yesterday at a highly-charged meeting held at the Midlands Conference Centre, about 8km outside Gweru.
Pandemonium broke out the moment the party’s National Secretary for the Commissariat, Cde Webster Shamu, finished announcing the 120 names of the cadres constituting the Main Wing, Women’s League and Youth League executives. Each wing has 40 members.
A three-member executive team composed of the respective chairpersons of the main wing, Cde Jason Machaya, women’s league chair, Cde Elina Shirichena, and the youth league chairperson, Cde Edmore Samambwa, were running the party’s affairs in the Midlands following the suspension of results of the chaotic December 9 elections.
At yesterday’s meeting, party members insisted most of the names announced were of people who gate-crushed the Electoral College.
A number of key members perceived to be aligned to Cde Emmerson Mnangagwa’s faction were absent. Among the notable absentees were the Chiundura legislator, Cde Kizito Chivamba, who was retained as deputy chairperson of the main wing, secretary for the commissariat, Cde Makhosini Hlongwane, who is also the Mberengwa East MP and Cde Owen Ncube (Mudha), the secretary for security.
Cde Prosper Muchando is the deputy chairperson for the youth wing while Cde Espfina Nhari of Kwekwe was appointed deputy chairperson for the women’s league. Cde Emmerson Mnangagwa Junior has been appointed Secretary for Information and Publicity for the Youth Wing.
They were retained to their posts in absentia, a developed that irked party members who attended the meeting. Party members went wild soon after the Zanu-PF provincial chairperson, Cde Machaya, announced the meeting closed. He, however, said those with queries could remain behind and engage Cde Shamu.
Members went on to castigate factionalism which they said was causing problems within the party in the Midlands.
“The National Commissariat has worsened the situation by further dividing the party. Why did he give posts to people who boycotted this meeting? It’s now Operation Udzanai Chokwadi/Khulumani Iqiniso. Cde Shamu first attended a meeting with the other faction whose members decided to boycott this meeting. That’s where he has been fed. Cde Shamu has failed us. He’s causing more confusion,” said Cde Girly Marongwe, one of the disgruntled members who was eyeing a post.
Cde Marongwe said people whose names are in the basket should have been allowed to choose the candidates they prefer among themselves.
Midlands War Veterans chairperson, Cde Terry Shumba, dismissed yesterday’s meeting as a joke. He said the leadership should have assigned someone more senior to Cde Shamu since Midlands was heavily divided along factional lines.
“The fires in this province need able leaders not someone of Cde Shamu’s calibre. How do you come up with posts when the people nominated boycotted the meeting?” queried Cde Shumba.
Cde George Makombe, a war veteran based in Kwekwe, who is now the province’s secretary for land reform and resettlement, said factionalism was affecting party business in the Midlands.
He said: “I’ve been given a post but I don’t know how I was selected. I’m a victim of factionalism since 2009. My life is in danger and my name is always discussed at most meetings in Kwekwe where there are individuals who question why I’m still alive.
“But I’m a disciplined cadre and I know how and where to channel my concerns. There’re some misguided elements who have hijacked the revolution by causing factions and I don’t subscribe to that. Factionalism in the party starts from just below Cde Dydmus Mutasa’s post right down to cell level.”
Cde Makombe, however, urged other party members to respect the outcome of the meeting since Cde Shamu had been sent by Zanu-PF national leaders.
Cde Clement Ndlovu, a war veteran, said there was a party operating within Zanu-PF that is fast destroying the revolutionary party if it continues unchecked.
He added: “This so-called factionalism thing is feeding on this party that is operating within Zanu-PF. That party is just waiting to be launched and something should be done urgently. It’s something new in our party that when people are called to a meeting, fail to turn up despite being notified about the meeting.”
Cde Shamu said the commissariat will visit the problem districts and wards in a bid to nip factionalism in the bud. He said leaders and party members should learn to accommodate each other’s views.
Said Cde Shamu: “It’s not for me to choose who the chairperson should work with. We were guided by what came out in the baskets, results based on points. We’ve been told of serious factionalism in the Midlands, we also have been told the source of the problem.
“As commissariat, we’re going to have an analysis of the problems. We will visit the problem districts and report our findings to the presidium and politburo. We’re happy that people are now opening up, speaking their minds freely. I’m on a mission to implement politburo recommendations and we can’t hold fresh elections.”
Cde Machaya said he was immediately getting down to serious business to compensate for the lost time.
Online Reporter