Zanu PF suspends errant members

Joseph Madzimure, Zimpapers Politics Hub

SIXTEEN Zanu PF members have been suspended for five years for supporting independent candidates in their constituencies in the National Assembly and local authority elections held last year.

Zanu PF Masvingo province accounts for 15 of these members with the 16th coming from Manicaland.

The suspensions are documented in the Central Comittee report tabled by President Mnangagwa at the 21st Zanu PF National People’s Conference held last month in Bulawayo. President Mnangagwa, who is the revolutionary party’s First Secretary and President, has in the past reiterated that Zanu PF was a party of rules and would not tolerate indiscipline of any kind.

The suspended members are: Gracious Mapurisa, Jainos Mudonhi, Blessing Hwititi, Wilson Hwafa, Rebecca Matanga, Wellington Hove, Josiel Gumbo, Tavaona Dube, Chamunorwa Ndlela, Simbarashe Pen, Nomsa Masaga, Godknows Moyo, Antalia Ngwenya, Silandekani Khalamesi and Hlamulo from Masvingo and Batsirai Pemheni from Manicaland.

Zanu PF national chair Cde Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri said in her briefing in the Central Committee Report that the party had to invoke its constitution’s legal statutes on people who disregarded its regulations.

She said routine meetings with provincial chairpersons were held to keep abreast with grassroots developments.

“The platform afforded the national chairman’s office the opportunity to discuss pertinent issues with provincial structures, which included the state of the party, the state of the economy, security and preparations for by-elections,” reads the chairman’s report.

During the 2023 harmonised general elections, some members contested as independent candidates in the National Assembly and local authority elections.

Some of those that have ceased to be Zanu PF cadres after standing as National Assembly independent candidates include: Mr Thomas Munjoma (Mutare West), Zivanai Peter Musanhu (Mt Darwin West), Eunice Mangwende (Murewa North), George Vhengere (Gutu East), Tafadzwa Shumba (Mwenezi West), Jeremiah Ndlukuwani (Gokwe Chireya) and Ms Siphathisiwe Mathema (Nkayi North). None of them were elected.

The Central Committee report commended the party’s performance in the by-elections held after the harmonised general elections in 2023.

“The party won impressive victories in Binga where it had not won in a long time. This demonstrates the party’s ability to reach out into new frontiers that were previously opposition strongholds. With such inroads, the party is poised to grow from strength to strength,” read the report.