Upenyu Chaota

Masvingo – Five Zanu PF heavyweights have been set off the hook after allegations of misconduct levelled against them by the provincial executive were thrown out of the window by the National Disciplinary Committee (NDC) due to lack of evidence and breach of procedure.

Former Chivi Central legislator and politburo member Paul Mangwana, former Masvingo provincial chairperson and Masvingo West legislator Ezra Chadzamira, Chief Whip and Gutu Central legislator Lovemore Matuke, Masvingo South legislator Edmund Mhere and Senator Clemence Makwarimba were last week exonerated of all misconduct.

The five members are all suspected of being with the so-called Team Lacoste and had lately been subjected to intense pressure from the rival G40 faction which is fighting to have them expelled.

With all the charges that were being levelled against the five gone and the mooted no-confidence plans now in disarray, Team Lacoste’s fortunes in the provnce seem to have rebounded at least for the time being. 

The NDC ruled in favour of the five because the provincial executive is said to have no disciplinary power over central committee or politburo members.

Matuke said the vote of no confidence recommendation was dramatised and did not follow the correct party procedure.

“We were summoned to a disciplinary meeting in Harare to answer to the charges which the provincial executive had levelled against us. The provincial executive had recommended a vote of no confidence but since they failed to follow the correct procedure, all the allegations were dropped.

“There was no proper meeting conducted to make that resolution. It was the provincial chairperson Amasa Nhenjana who just compiled the letter on behalf of the other members and sent it to Harare,” said Matuke.

Matuke said the move by the provincial chairperson and his executive can be equated to a subordinate trying to fire the boss in an organisation.

“They have no case against us and we have no case to answer either. That is why the case was dismissed,” Matuke said. 

Mangwana, who has reportedly been on the hit list for a long time, is said to have boycotted the disciplinary hearings challenging the validity of the charges against him and his colleagues.

Itai Muzondo

Masvingo – The Minister of State for Masvingo Provincial Affairs, Shuvai Ben Mahofa on Monday pleaded with the Zimbabwe Defense Forces (ZDF) to take control and restore political sanity as the ruling party is currently engulfed in bitter factional wars.

Addressing scores of people gathered to witness the handover of Chingwizi Clinic to government, Mahofa said politicians are good at nothing but talking rubbish and urged ZDF Commander, General Constatine Chiwenga, who was present at the event, to intervene.

“Chiwenga, usateerera isu mapoliticians isu mapoliticians tinongorotomoka tichigona kuuraya nyika. Ndoda kukusimbisai kuti control this country nokuti kuti ive zvairi nhasi, yakabva kwamuri,” (So today I simply want to tell Chiwenga that don’t listen to us politicians. We are big mouthed and our words can destroy the nation. You are the owners of the nation, as for us, we are done. I urge you today to take control of the nation because you are the same people who brought it to where it is today),” Mahofa said to loud applause.

 “Our army is one of the best armies in the world and has managed to maintain peace in Zimbabwe. Look at how they have even partnered with this community in advancing health care through the construction of this clinic. They have also made a mark by doing good deeds beyond borders. Whenever we find peace prevailing, it’s because of the army’s commendable work,” she added.

Mahofa call to for the army to take control of the country come at the backdrop of rampant speculation that the security sector sympathises with ‘Team Lacoste’ faction which supports Vice President Emerson Mnangagwa to take over from Mugabe.

Mnangagwa has recently come under increasing fire after Mandi Chimene publicly called for his ouster for allegedly plotting to overthrow President Mugabe. He however, refuted the allegations saying he was not the leader of Team Lacoste.

Mahofa is also under pressure from the rival Generation 40 (G40) faction which says she has not ministerial material as citing her unimpressive academic credentials.

She was recently left embarrassed after her political enemies revealed she has nothing but a knitting certificate.

Upenyu Chaota

Bikita – Battle lines have been drawn in Bikita as Zanu PF factions, Team Lacoste and Generation 40 (G40) compete to outdo each other in the race to replace former Bikita West legislator, Dr Munyaradzi Kereke whose constituency fell vacant after he was last month sentenced to 14 years imprisonment for raping his niece.

Kereke was suspected of having been in the beleaguered Team Lacoste faction, which is breathing a sigh of relief after five of its suspected frontmen in the province, who include Lovemore Matuke and Paul Mangwana, survived a determined G40 plot to boot them out of the party last weekend.

The much awaited by-elections attracted 10 candidates who have since submitted their Curriculum Vitae (CVs) for vetting, among them the much hyped Elias Musakwa who lost dismally to Kereke in the July 31, 2013 elections.

Zanu PF Masvingo provincial chairperson, Amasa Nhenjana confirmed receipt of 10 CVs and said they have since selected the eligible candidates to go for party primaries in few weeks’ time.

“You know one cannot just wake up and say he or she wants to contest without going through certain party processes. We carried out vetting process in a transparent manner and only six out of 10 candidates sailed through and they will battle it out in the primaries to be held soon.

“Elias Musakwa, Everson Machaya, Wellington Mutisi and Tichaona Mandebvu were disqualified because they failed to meet the criteria. Musakwa was disqualified on indiscipline grounds; he vanished with party vehicle and, to date, we don’t know where that car is. Musakwa again stopped participating in party programmes and he only resurfaced now when there is a by-election,” said Nhenjana.

The approved six candidates are Gibson Mashingaidze, Beauty Chabaya, Joshua Dhewa, Jeffry Murire, Douglas Makuku and Simon Masosomere.

Some Zanu PF insiders, however, alleged that the vetting was not without factional bias with those believed to have G40 sympathies sailing through, while those from a rival faction, Team Lacoste getting disqualified.

“Team Lacoste lost the battle; the selection panel consisted of G40 fanatics and they chose mainly candidates from their faction,” said a source.

Nhenjana, a G40 rumoured sympathiser, dismissed the allegations and insisted that the vetting was done transparently. He said the trio of Machaya, Mutisi and Mandebvu were disqualified because have not served the party for at least five years.

“The vetting was done in a transparent manner; those disqualified failed to meet the criteria. We are currently working on the dates for the primaries,” said Nhenjana. 

The winner is likely to go uncontested as opposition parties Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T) and Zimbabwe People First (ZimPF) have expressed no interest in contesting the seat.news