Mash West wants Mutsvangwa expelled

via Mash West wants Mutsvangwa expelled | The Sunday Mail 20/03/2016

Zanu-PF’s Mashonaland West provincial co-ordinating committee has recommended the immediate expulsion from the party and recall from the House of Assembly of Norton legislator Cde Christopher Mutsvangwa, the war veterans association chairman, for allegedly consorting with Zimbabwe People First.

Cde Mustvangwa is also accused of denigrating the First Family and showing no remorse for the behaviour that saw him recently suspended from Zanu-PF for three years.

As the PCC was recommending his expulsion, war veterans also met in Chinhoyi and passed no confidence vote against Vice-President Phelekezela Mphoko and a host of other officials, including Cdes Jonathan Moyo, Saviour Kasukuwere, Sandi Moyo, Kudzayi Chipanga, Sarah Mahoka and Patrick Zhuwao. And in Bulawayo, Zanu-PF’s provincial executive was suspending 19 officials, including Senator Angeline Masuku, for attending a meeting addressed by Cde Mutsvangwa and the expelled Mr Jabulani Sibanda.

Mashonaland West’s provincial leadership, through secretary for administration Cde Simbarashe Ziyambi, said: “We have resolved that Cde Mutsvangwa should be immediately expelled from the party and be recalled from Parliament. This is because Cde Mutsvangwa has shown that he is averse to following the dictates of the party as he has continued denigrating the President.”

The Politburo suspended Cde Mutsvangwa from holding any position in the party for three years. He subsequently lost his post as War Vets Minister but remains Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans chair.

Cde Mutsvangwa yesterday dismissed the PCC resolution. “The Mashonaland West PCC is free to mislead itself but if they had any political sense, the patron (President Mugabe) addressed this issue yesterday (Friday). He is going to meet the originals of Zanu-PF who are the war veterans,” said Cde Mustvangwa.

“He is going to meet war veterans in the first week of April and that is where the fate of the party is going to be decided including those who are sitting in counsel on these wayward decisions about votes of no confidence.” War veterans meeting at Cooksey Hall in Chinhoyi passed a vote of no confidence against VP Mphoko and other officials.

“These are people who are fronting the G40 agenda and trying to subvert the revolution and hijack the State machinery to try and reverse the gains of the revolution. We as the angels of this revolution we have decided that enough of them,” Cde Mutsvangwa said.

Cde Mutsvangwa distanced war veterans from Dr Mujuru’s party and urged his colleagues to steer clear of Zimbabwe People First.

Meanwhile, Zanu-PF Bulawayo province suspended 19 members — including Senator Masuku — for attending the war veterans meeting addressed by Cde Mutsvangwa and Mr Sibanda.

The 19 were informed of their fate at a PCC meeting which ended with skirmishes as party youths sought to man-handle the suspended lot, accusing them of selling out to Zimbabwe People First party.

Those suspended include Senator Masuku, and Consultative Assembly members Cdes Mpofu, Fidelia Maphosa, Oppah Ncube and Eliphas Tshuma.

Others are Cdes Christopher Sibanda, (provincial secretary for information), Charles Ndlovu (environment and tourism), Mlungisi Moyo (indigenisation) and Rejoice Sibanda (deputy provincial chair of Women’s League). The rest are Cdes Rose Kandiero (gender), Kevin Mudzidziwa (economic affairs), Miriam Moyo (legal affairs), Siwinile Ncube (education), Garikai Zonde (deputy secretary for economic affairs in Youth League), Victor Mpofu (Transport) Caleb Sengu (deputy – education), Douglas Gangaidze, Shorai Sende and Blackwell Bulukutu.

Provincial chairperson Cde Dennis Ndlovu said this would bring order in the party, also indicating the possibility of the number of members suspended could increase or decrease as they were still trying to establish the people who attended the war veterans meeting. “As party members we should be in a position to defend the party, therefore as a provincial chairperson I cannot just sit back while my members attend an illegal meeting addressed by someone who was expelled by the party,” he said.

“We are not blaming them for attending but we are saying that if they were sincere they should have defended the party at that said meeting.”

On Senator Masuku, Cde Ndlovu said while she was a National Consultative Assembly member, she still belonged to the province hence they could suspend her. He said the only difference between her case and that of others was that the final verdict would come from the National Disciplinary Committee.

“No one is bigger than the party. If you do something that we feel is against the principles then you are subject to appear before a disciplinary committee, a crime is a crime hence Cde Masuku cannot be exempted. What will happen now is that starting Monday (tomorrow) we will start the disciplinary proceedings because we do not want to drag this issue for a long period. Those on the list can then have a chance to defend themselves and it is now up to them to prove whether or not they were part of the meeting. If they were, then I am sorry — we cannot allow ourselves to associate with such people.” In the Bulawayo meeting a fortnight ago, Cde Mutsvangwa invited former war veterans’ leader Mr Sibanda who used the event to urge war veterans to abandon Zanu-PF. — Chinhoyi Bureau-Bulawayo Bureau