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Dumani Moyo Sunday News Reporter
A ZANU-PF Matabeleland South inter-district meeting in Filabusi yesterday almost degenerated into violent clashes when some members attempted to gate-crash the meeting, protesting against their suspensions.The meeting which was meant to update party members from Insiza district on the party’s 6th National Congress resolutions and outcomes, had to be delayed for close to two hours as the district security personnel attempted to eject the four expelled members — Cdes Malaki Nkomo, Jeremiah Langa, Jabulani Phetshu Sibanda and Ndabayabo Ndlovu — who attempted to attend the meeting claiming they were never expelled.
Cde Nkomo is the Member of the House of Assembly for Insiza South constituency while Cde Langa is Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture and Insiza North legislator Cde Andrew Langa’s brother.
When the meeting eventually started, Zanu-PF Central Committee member Cde Naison Kutshwekhaya Ndlovu said the four were now lonely on the outside and should blame themselves for their past mistakes.
He called on the province to remain united and ignore anyone who was trying to destabilise it.
“These people have tried to destabilise the party and they are not even a threat to us; we are not even worried. They have become too desperate and lonely. As a province we must remain calm and continue forging ahead as a unit.
“We want to let the people know how these people got to be expelled. Some of them were addressing party and national meetings while they were drunk; others totally disregarded party policies thinking they were bigger than the party,” said Cde Ndlovu.
Cde Ndlovu said it was no surprise that former Vice-President Joice Mujuru and former secretary for administration Cde Didymus Mutasa were no longer part of the party leadership as they had diverted from the set party policies.
“These people made the mistake of thinking they had followers when in actual fact people do not belong to them but they belong to Zanu-PF. Suspension is possible and unavoidable when you politically go wrong,” he said.
Cde Ndlovu said with the party’s national congress concluded, there was now a need for party members to forge ahead and focus on gaining more support for the party ahead of the 2018 elections.
“Youths should actively participate in party programmes so that they do not feel alienated, they are the future of this party hence without them we are going nowhere,” he said.
Central Committee member Cde Patrick Hove noted that after President Mugabe was unanimously given the mandate to lead the party there was now a need for people to continue building the party and do away with any persons who wanted to divide the party.
“I must warn these people that what they are doing is extremely dangerous, it will not get them anywhere at all. Being against revolutionary ideas will always backfire on you,” said Cde Hove.
Meanwhile, the four suspended members handed over a letter to the provincial leadership which they also copied to the national commissar, Cde Saviour Kasukuwere, where they challenged the vote of no confidence passed on them by the Provincial Co-ordinating Committee.
In the letter they said they remained loyal to the party and would continue serving it.
“People are being fired willy-nilly using the name gamatox to anyone who does not agree with them. We love the party and pray that the commissariat helps build the party in Insiza,” reads part of the letter.
These developments come after Bulilima West legislator Cde Lungisani Nleya attempted to impose himself at a Bulilima district party planning meeting where he demanded to be reinstated.
Recently, police had to be called at a Zanu-PF Matabeleland South Provincial Co-ordinating Committee meeting in Gwanda to chuck out suspended members who had forced their way into the venue.
The group, which was suspended in the build-up to last year’s Zanu-PF 6th National People’s Congress, initially refused to leave and only did so after intervention by the police.
Online Reporter