Zanu-PF Mat North gets green light for elections

Cde Masuku assumed the acting chairman’s post after the suspension of Cde Ncube who was the substantive chairman. Before that he was the vice-chairman.

Cde Masuku was suspended late last year on allegations of flouting party procedure and was later on replaced by Cde Thokozile Mathuthu who is the acting chairperson.

In a telephone interview from Harare yesterday, Zanu-PF national Secretary for Information and Publicity Cde Rugare Gumbo said the dispute over Matabeleland North chair has been finalised adding that it was now up to the Provincial Coordinating Committee (PCC) to set the election date.

“The issue of Matabeleland North chairperson was reported and discussed in the Politburo yesterday. The disciplinary committee concluded that the province can hold fresh elections and that Cde Zwelitsha Masuku and Cde Zenzo Ncube can participate in that election. It is now up to the PCC to decide on when the election would be held,” said Cde Gumbo.

Two weeks ago the Zanu-PF Matabeleland North provincial leadership met in Lupane and called for the speedy election of a substantive party chairperson.

They also said delays in the resolving the case of Cde Masuku was hampering party growth and implored the Zanu-PF national Political Commissar, Cde Webster Shamu, who attended the meeting, to present their plea to the senior leadership in Harare.

Turning to the suspension of Zanu-PF Bulawayo chairman Cde Isaac Dakamela, Cde Gumbo said a report on what transpired was presented to the senior leadership but was not concluded.

Said Cde Gumbo: “Cde Shamu gave a report about what happened in Bulawayo. We thus resolved that the case will be discussed further by the Politburo in its next meeting,” said Cde Gumbo.

The PCC suspended Cde Dakamela in March this year after passing a vote of no confidence in him and chose his deputy Cde Killian Sibanda to act as chairman.

At that time Cde Dakamela insisted the decision to suspend him was unconstitutional.

Following misunderstanding over the issue, the PCC organised a meeting which was attended by Cde Shamu last month where the party leadership resolved that Cde Sibanda remains the acting chairman until the senior leadership makes a final decision on the suspension of Cde Dakamela.