Croco mauls G40

02 Feb 2017 – MASVINGO – In former Gambian President Yahya Jammeh’s style, Zanu PF acting chair for Masvingo province, Amasa Nhenjana made a sudden U-turn at a Provincial Coordinating Committee (PCC) meeting last weekend, refusing to step down just moments after agreeing to hand over the chairmanship position to Ezra Chadzamira.
During the PCC meeting, Nhenjana had sheepishly read the resolutions of the Provincial Executive Committee (PEC) which is said to be dominated by Team Lacoste sympathisers.
He seemed a defeated man and his alleged G40 loyalists appeared dispirited as their Team Lacoste nemesis knocked them off their pedestal.
They, however, quickly regrouped after the PCC meeting and did a volte face, calling for a press conference at Chevron Hotel where they nullified the resolutions of the PEC claiming that Nhenjana had been forced to surrender power by Team Lacoste.
Their claims found succour in Zanu PF national commissar Saviour Kasukuwere who also rubbished Chadzamira’s appointment during a telephone interview saying he will immediately look into the matter when he comes back from abroad.
“I am out of the country at the moment and have not been fully briefed on the matter. I can however say to you that I am shocked by the way some of our comrades are handling party affairs in Masvingo.
“I will be able to straighten things up when I get back. I am told some members are bend on reshuffling party structures but there is no such thing in Zanu PF,” said Kasukuwere.
Chadzamira is an alleged Team Lacoste fanatic and was last year involved in a bitter wrangle with Nhenjana over the powerful chairmanship position after the dismissal of Paradzai Chakona.
At the hastily convened press conference, Nhenjana’s grouping sought to prove their own political clout and to boost confidence among their ranks by calling somebody whom they said was party heavyweight; secretary for administration Ignatius Chombo, and putting him on loud speaker for everyone to hear that he was in agreement with their about-turn.
Flanked by provincial political commissar Jeppy Jaboon, provincial chairperson Veronica Makonese, Gutu South legislator Dr Paul Chimedza, Chiredzi North legislator Robert Mukwena among other backers, Nhenjana declared that he was still in charge, saying he can only be removed by the politburo which appointed him.
Other sympathisers who were away also made phone calls endorsing the press conference.
“The move to demote me was done unprocedurally and we categorically reject it. I was appointed by the politburo and the same procedure should be used when demoting me. For now, I am still acting chairperson.
“I am surprised they want to demote me now after we have won in Bikita West,” said Nhenjana.
The G40 group claims credit for Zanu PF’s recent parliamentary by-election victory in Bikita West and accuse Lacoste of trying to sabotage the by-election so as to cast aspersions on their popularity.
They threatened to run parallel structures in Masvingo if Team Lacoste does not back down from their attempts to ‘usurp’ power from Nhenjana.
While reading their resolutions to the press, Nhenjana was seething with anger as he attacked Masvingo Provincial Affairs minister, Shuvai Mahofa and her Psychomotor counterpart, Josaya Hungwe for engineering the debacle.
“These are the same elements that wanted to sabotage the party in Bikita West and after failing, they now want to see the party losing in Mwenezi East where our focus is at the moment,” said Nhenjena.
Team Lacoste, meanwhile, was savouring their victory at a caucus meeting they convened at Dhiyo shopping centre.
The new chairman Chadzamira said it was not his decision to be reinstated but a collective decision by the party’s provincial executive.
“I was reinstated by the PEC and Nhenjana was there but did not object. He is the one who read the resolutions so I am surprised that he is now making an about-turn,” said Chadzamira.news