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Lloyd Gumbo Senior Reporter
Former Zanu-PF spokesperson Rugare Gumbo has been expelled from the party as efforts to rid the revolutionary party of bad apples intensify. The decision was made when the Central Committee met in Harare yesterday and also endorsed proposed amendments to the party Constitution and nominees to the Central Committee from the provinces.
Zanu-PF national chairperson and acting spokesperson Cde Simon Khaya Moyo made the announcements after the Central Committee meeting that went beyond 8pm last night.
“As a late item, but very significant, the suspended former secretary for information and publicity in the Zanu-PF Politburo, Cde Rugare Gumbo, has been expelled from the party by the Central Committee,” said Cde Khaya Moyo without elaborating.
The 245-member Central Committee is Zanu-PF’s highest decision-making body outside Congress, its secretariat being the Politburo.
Mr Gumbo, who is under police probe for his involvement in the Baba Jukwa saga, had been suspended for five years.
He is also accused of plotting to assassinate President Mugabe, amid reports that he was recorded saying if President Mugabe blocked embattled Vice President Joice Mujuru from succeeding him, he would be deposed “the Kabila way”.
Secretary for administration Cde Didymus Mutasa and another Politburo member Cde Nicholas Goche, who are both admitted in hospitals, were said to have been involved in the assassination attempts.
Mr Gumbo now joins Jabulani Sibanda who was also expelled by the Politburo for insulting the First Family by suggesting that they wanted to effect a boardroom and bedroom coup on VP Mujuru.
Mr Sibanda was arrested under Section 33 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act that criminalises undermining the authority of the President.
He is out on US$400 bail and his case was referred to the Constitutional Court. Cde Khaya Moyo said the Central Committee also deliberated on the 6th National People’s Congress that started with the Politburo meeting on Tuesday followed by the Central Committee yesterday.
He said elected Central Committee members were presented to the party’s First Secretary and President Mugabe province by province.
The nominees, he said, had been approved and awaited endorsement by the Congress.
“Proposed amendments of the Zanu-PF Constitution were also presented to the Central Committee and were welcomed. They of course now await endorsement by Congress.
“The Central Committee appreciated that the Congress venue has been renamed Robert Gabriel Mugabe Square. We have also given names to four main service roads at the Congress venue. The roads are Dr Grace Mugabe Way, Dr Joshua M. Nkomo Road, Dr Simon V. Muzenda Road and last, but not least Zim-Asset Way,” said Cde Khaya Moyo.
Online Reporter