By Brighton Chiseva
MASVINGO –Members of Zanu PF Masvingo District are complaining over former politburo member Minister Dzikamai Mavhaire’s return to the party, with the District Coordinating Committee alleging that proper procedure was not done as they did not recommend his return.
Sources within the party claim that Mavhaire’s readmission into the ruling party was imposed from the Provincial and National executive, against the normal procedure where the district recommends to the Provincial Coordinating Committee which will then recommend to the national executive.
“We were shocked to just see pictures of Mavhaire with the President and the provincial leadership. Protocol was not observed as we at the district are supposed to receive a letter from an appellant who is seeking re-admission. We then recommend or decline. If we accept the appellant we then recommend to the province and then national,” said the source.
Contacted for comment, Masvingo DCC Chairperson Tawanda Dube said Mavhaire was yet to be introduced to the district as his readmission started from the national executive.
“Yes Cde Mavhaire is back in the party but procedurally he is yet to be introduced to us as the district. His admission came from the national executive. However we are happy as a district that he is back,” said Dube.
Zanu PF Masvingo Provincial Chairperson Robson Mavhenyengwa said there was nothing amiss about his admission coming from the national executive, saying his level warranted that.
“Cde Mavhaire was a politburo member and that is why his admission came from the top. It is normal and if the President or any other authority asks us to welcome a returnee then who are we to refuse? Infact he had been a member of Zanu PF and he has just decided to come back home to others,” said Mavhenyengwa.
Other sources said Mavhaire was not comfortable approaching the district executive as he felt that would belittle him, with the likelihood of his appeal being blocked, hence he decided to approach the national executive.
“Mavhaire is a threat to many in the province so he saw that the district would mock and block his return considering his proximity to former Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) Nelson Chamisa. Many feel threatened by his return, even other provincial executive members,” said a source within the party.
Mavhaire, who last week was paraded at State House in the presence of party leader President Emmerson Mnangagwa and other high-profile party leaders was readmitted into Zanu PF after being expelled from the party by former President Robert Mugabe in 2014.
Until his return, he had become opposition leader Chamisa’s close ally, often speaking at CCC rallies mocking Mnangagwa’s administration.
