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Robin Muchetu and Dumisani Sibanda
SOME Zanu-PF members who were expelled or suspended from the party will have the rulings overturned if provinces did not follow proper procedures in instituting disciplinary action, and the votes of no confidence were not the baby of the National Disciplinary Committee, the party’s Second Secretary and Vice-President Phelekezela Mphoko has said.
In an interview on Friday, VP Mphoko who is chairing the newly-established National Appeals and Review Committee said his committee was meant to review all cases starting this week, hinting some members will be readmitted into the party if it is proven they had no case to answer. Previously VP Mphoko used to chair the National Disciplinary Committee.
Zanu-PF recently announced that VP Mphoko will chair the National Appeals and Review Committee while Secretary for Legal Affairs Cde Patrick Chinamasa will now chair the National Disciplinary Committee. VP Mphoko said all cases that have been brought before the disciplinary committee will be reviewed on appeal.
“A review of cases will be done and according to the situation we will see if you have a case to answer or not then we will look into it. Many people were fired by their own provinces so it is either the committee upholds or overrides the decisions that were made at that time,” he said.
VP Mphoko said the National Disciplinary Committee took the cue from provinces and not vice versa.
“There is a mistake that has happened, people are saying the disciplinary committee fired people, no, there is nothing like that. The province where you come from just like when you die is the one that requests for your (hero) status. They tell us that this person belongs to us and they tell us your story. Those votes of no confidence that were passed did not come from us at the top in the National Disciplinary Committee but from the provinces that the people come from. We are not part of this at all. It is just like in court, judges do not go around looking for crimes that people commit, no . . . ,” he said.
Zanu-PF last week announced members of the new National Appeals and Review Committee tasked with considering appeals from party members aggrieved by either their suspension or expulsion from the party.
The new tribunal, chaired by VP Mphoko, has 10 other Central Committee members, one from each province.
Speaking after a Zanu-PF Politburo meeting in Harare last week, party spokesperson Cde Simon Khaya Moyo, said an aggrieved cadre was free to appeal.
Meanwhile, in Bulawayo province, five of the 19 Zanu-PF members who were suspended for allegedly attending a War Veterans meeting in Entumbane which was addressed by expelled ruling party member, Cde Jabulani Sibanda in March this year have been absolved of the charges after it was found that they were not at the gathering. Zanu-PF provincial chairman for Bulawayo, Cde Dennis Ndlovu confirmed the development.
“We have cleared most of the cases where we have told them one by one the verdict after their hearings. There are five who were acquitted or absolved of the charges after it was found that they did not attend the meeting.”
The five are four provincial members, Cdes Mlungisi Moyo, Kevin Mudzidziwa, Garikai Zonde and Caleb Sengu and a member of the party’s National Consultative Assembly, Cde Fideliah Maphosa.
Cde Ndlovu said the cases of senior members have been forwarded to the National Disciplinary Committee for consideration. The seniors include, National Consultative Assembly members, Senator Angeline Masuku, Cdes Molly Mpofu, who is also the commissar for the Bulawayo Provincial Executive of the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association, Oppah Ncube and Eliphas Tshuma.
Others who were suspended include Cdes Christopher Sibanda, Charles Ndlovu, Rejoice Sibanda, Rose Kandiero, Miriam Moyo, Siwinile Ncube, Victor Mpofu, Douglas Gangaidze, Shorai Sende and Blackwell Bulukutu.
Online Reporter