Brighton Chiseva

Zaka – Zaka Central legislator, Paradzai Chakona told supporters at a meeting held in Jerera last week that party officials will take over control of the Social Welfare food aid distribution in the district, saying it was Zanu-PF which sourced the food from outside the country.

Chakona gave credit to Zanu-PF MPs whom he claimed urged President Mugabe to declare a national disaster which resulted in different aid organisations coming on board.

He said the party must therefore play an active role  in the distribution of the food to people whom it deems appropriate.

“We Zanu-PF people should monitor the distribution because we are the ones who sought food for our people,” said Chakona.

He pointed to recent private press reports that MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai had written a letter to the United Nations (UN) requesting the suspension of aid because the aid was being politicised as evidence of opposition heartlessness.

Chakona, however, appeared to be contradicting himself when he claimed food aid was being distributed on non-partisan grounds only to later admit that he himself had distributed some maize to proven party supporters only.

“Last time, I gave maize which I had sourced to Zanu-PF members as a way of thanking them for voting for me,” he said.

Some villagers however claimed the maize had been donated by Tongaat Hullett and was meant for all needy people.  

The MP also indicated he will not work with opposition councillors even in matters of people’s welfare.

“I don’t have a councillor in this ward, maybe you have. I cannot work with an MDC councillor and I will rather work with my party leadership,” said Chakona.

Other Zanu-PF supporters present complained they did not have any influence in the ward as all committees were dominated by opposition sympathisers.

Others complained they were being asked to pay for treatment at Siyawareva clinic.

“The clinic committee is dominated by the MDC and we do not have any influence,” said one man.

Chakona assured the people he will deal with the matter before accusing the opposition of hijacking his electrification project through the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) and engaging ZESA which is now asking people to pay for electrification.

“Don’t pay and Zanu-PF will do it for you, you will just pay for connection,” said Chakona.news

Brighton Chiseva

Zaka – Zanu-PF members who gathered  for a party meeting at Jerera council hall last week were told to unite and behave well lest they  risk expulsion from the party.

The meeting was organised ‘to restore sanity’ in the aftermath of the stay away dubbed National Shutdown.

National Youth Secretary for Administration and Central Committee member, Severino Kazizi told party members and leaders in the province to unite and behave themselves in the face of what he claimed to be Western-sponsored demos which are flaring up in the country.

“I want to urge you to unite and those who cannot contain themselves will be expelled from the party,” said Kazizi

He also tried to justify government ban on imports of household goods and accused South Africans of spearheading the demos in Beitbridge.

“The South Africans relied on Zimbabwe and the move was a blow to them hence they tried to counter it by organising demos,” he added

Also present at the meeting was Masvingo Provincial Chairperson Amasa Nhenjana who asked people to comply with orders from their leaders.

Zaka East legislator, Samson Mukanduri claimed Zaka was the only district in Masvingo where there was no factionalism.

He warned people against joining Joice Mujuru’s Zim PF party, claiming the party was making some in-roads in parts of the district.

Mukanduri has been widely criticised for not doing anything for his constituency since he became MP. 

He however criticised Mujuru saying she was never known in the area and never built a single toilet in her own home area so she was not capable of being president.

“Mujuru was never known by his electorate and never painted a toilet, let alone build one,” said Mukanduri.news

Upenyu Chaota

MASVINGO – Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education Professor Jonathan Moyo, who was expected to chair a Masvingo inter-district meeting at the Chiefs Hall over the weekend, left the province in a huff amid reports that he could not face a rival faction Team Lacoste which supports Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa, and allegedly lied that he was rushing to attend another inter-district meeting in Gutu where he never showed up.

Moyo, an alleged architect of another Zanu-PF faction, Generation 40 (G40), cited poor attendance as the major reason for snubbing close to 200 party members who had gathered at the Chief’s hall for the meeting.

The Zanu-PF politburo member met Masvingo senator Clemence Makwarimba and Masvingo West legislator Ezra Chadzamira and few others in town and told them that he was no longer coming for the meeting due to poor attendance, a message which was later passed on to the party members by Makwarimba.

“We met Prof. Moyo in town and he told us that he will not address the meeting because of poor attendance. We were expecting over 800 people today but the turnout is poor probably because there was information break down as well as the sudden change of the venue from Nemamwa to Chief’s Hall by Masvingo Urban legislator Daniel Shumba.

“This meeting was supposed to be an extension of the provincial inter-district meeting we held at Masvingo Poly recently but Moyo could not come here because we are few. We met Moyo in town and he said he was, instead, going to attend another inter-district meeting in Gutu,” said Makwarimba.

Moyo, who chaired a Masvingo provincial inter-district meeting a fortnight ago where Team Lacoste and G40 members heckled each other in front of him resulting in others leaving the meeting, is alleged to have dreaded the idea of confronting the Team Lacoste members and decided to excuse himself citing poor attendance.

Defiant Team Lacoste members who were at the meeting, however, openly denounced G40 by chanting ‘pasi neG40’ slogans.

Masvingo Urban legislator Daniel Shumba who allegedly changed the venue from Nemamwa to Chief’s Hall was also conspicuous by his absence at the meeting.

The visibly angry and hungry members who were served only oranges had no kind words for Masvingo district legislators Shumba (Masvingo urban), Davis Marapira (Masvingo North), Edmund Mhere (Masvingo Central) and Walter Mzembi (Masvingo South) whom they accused of having double standards. 

“Our legislators have double standards; they take us for granted. They were supposed to attend the meeting but only Chadzimira (Masvingo West) is here. We cannot continue with this kind of leadership which is so into factional fights at the expense of building the party. We are happy that 2018 is around the corner and we will certainly boot them out and elect better candidates with the party at the heart,” said a member amid applause from the floor.

Marapira and Mzembi sent apologies saying they were out of the country.

The Gutu inter-district meeting which Moyo said was going to attend, was chaired by another politburo member who is also the Minister of Mines, Walter Chidhakwa.news

Upenyu Chaota

MASVINGO – The recent elevation of Kuwadzana East legislator Nelson Chamisa together with Engineer Elias Mudzuri to position of vice-presidents respectively, was viewed as a well-planned succession plan by the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T) leader Morgan Tsvangirai, with majority party supporters in Masvingo saying Chamisa is poised to take over leadership from the former trade unionist.

The appointment came after the MDC-T national executive and national council convened a meeting soon after the return of Tsvangirai from sick leave where he has been recovering from colon cancer.

MDC-T Masvingo provincial executive member commenting on condition of anonymity said the appointment of Chamisa was meant to groom him before he can take over from Tsvangirai whose health has deteriorated.

“Chamisa has the power, zeal and ability. Tsvangirai knows Chamisa is the only person with the qualities to take over and this is the reason he appointed him vice-president in order to groom him before he finally takes over. Mudzuri has a lot of experience and he will assist the young man. 

“Mudzuri is more mature than Chamisa but the latter is the future. Under Tsvangirai’s guidance and Mudzuri’s coaching, there is no doubt that Chamisa will be handed the baton stick from our president. The succession plan has been mapped and it is from these three vice presidents where the next president will be elevated,” said the official.

MDC-T supporters took to social media to congratulate Chamisa for his new post rallying behind him to take over from Tsvangirai.

The Nelson Chamisa for President Facebook page was awash with congratulatory posts with people praising the decision by their president to invest in the party’s future.

“I’m very happy Hon Advocate. Glory to God who knows the future. Aluta continua!” reads one of the posts.

“Makorokoto mukomana tangira pasiirwa naSave I know u can do it. From Vice President to President,” another one posted.

Masvingo who have been behind Chamisa when he lost to Douglas Mwonzora in the race to the Secretary General post, have expressed confidence that Chamisa will take over party leadership from Tsvangirai.

Tsvangirai’s spokesperson Luke Tamborinyoka, however, said the appointment of Chamisa and Mudzuri should not be misconstrued since it has nothing to do with succession.

“We all know that 2018 is a watershed election and there is a lot of ground which needs to be covered that is why our President appointed two more deputies to help him.

“President Tsvangirai did not appoint Chamisa and Mudzuri on his own. It was a recommendation given by the party’s National Council. Many will be asking why only people from Masvingo were chosen but in MDC we do not look at where one comes from but the ability to execute your assigned duties.

“I wonder why people talk of succession emanating from these appointments when Tsvangirai is still there. If one day Tsvangirai chooses to step down, there will be an elective congress to decide his successor. He does not have the power to appoint his successor,” said Tamborinyoka.news