Politburo on Gono: The law is the law

via Politburo on Gono: The law is the law 01 October 2014

THE Zanu PF politburo on Wednesday instructed its legal committee to explore ways of ensuring that former RBZ governor Gideon Gono assumes the post of Senator for Manicaland province which he was disqualified from taking up.

Gono failed in his bid to become Senator for Manicaland province after it emerged that he was not a registered voter in the province as required by the electoral law.

The senate seat became vacant following the death of veteran nationalist Kumbirai Kangai last year.

Briefing the media, Zanu PF secretary for information and publicity Rugare Gumbo said the party was for the time being abiding by what the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) had said.

The politburo, he added, directed Justice Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa, who is also party’s secretary for legal affairs, to see how Gono could, at some point, become senator for Manicaland.

“The issue of Dr Gono was discussed and it was agreed that we go by that was said by ZEC chairperson, Justice Rita Makarau,” said Gumbo.

“So for now, we will follow what the commission said and we will look at ways to ensure that he be senator for that province in the near future.”

Gono, who left the RBZ last year after a 10-year stint, was nominated by Zanu PF Manicaland province to replace the late ex-minister, Kumbirai Kangai as senator for the province.

But after almost a year of waiting and just as it looked certain that the ex-central bank chief was going to be a senator, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) pulled the rug from under his feet.

The electoral agency said Gono does not qualify for the post since he is not a registered voter for any ward in Manicaland as demanded by the law.

Makarau, told the ruling Zanu PF party’s chairman, Simon Khaya Moyo, in a letter seen by NewZimbabwe.Com that Gono was not eligible to represent Manicaland in the senate.

“We wish to advise honourable chairman that, according to our records Dr Gono is not registered as a voter in any of the wards in Manicaland province,” Makarau said.

In their application to have Gono replace Kangai ahead of Shadreck Chipanga, an ex-CIO head who is on the party list submitted to ZEC during the elections, Zanu PF registered the former central bank boss as a voter on December 5, 2013 after the harmonised polls, a move which Makarau described as illegal.

The registration was done by the registrar-general, Tobaiwa Mudede when, at law, he no longer had the authority to conduct such duties.

Gono blamed factionalism and rivals in Zanu PF for the setback saying “it is clear that someone from outside (Manicaland) province is playing games”.

“I will never appease anyone by joining a faction in order to fast-track my confirmation and swearing in because no appeasement the world over has ever bought permanent peace. So, let the law take its course as long as no one is seeking to change my gender, or place of birth,” he said.

Moyo added: “It is preposterous and objectionable in the extreme for Dr Gono to claim that he is “remaining out of all factions except that of and led by the President.

“President Mugabe does not have and does not lead a faction. The President leads ZANU PF, the Government and the nation of Zimbabwe.

“In other words President Mugabe leads not some but all of us Zimbabweans. An aspiring Senator is ordinarily expected to understand this basic fact.”

Meanwhile, Gumbo said, although the issue of disturbances in Mashonaland West Province was not discussed, President Robert Mugabe made reference to it in his address.

There was an altercation between Zanu PF Mashonaland West provincial chairman Temba Mliswa and provincial executive committee member Beauty Zhuwawo on Monday which arose after Mliswa refused to recuse himself from chairing a meeting as he stands accused of colluding with a CIA operative attached to the US Embassy in Harare.

But Gumbo said if any disciplinary action was going to be taken on those fingered in the disturbances it would be only after the party’s disciplinary committee had investigated the matter.

“We did not discuss it at all (the disturbances in Mash West) but the President made reference to it that it was not necessary for such things to take place.

“If any action is going to take place it is going to be done by the disciplinary committee, the politburo cannot take action,” he said.