via Faction fights rock Zanu PF Mash East – New Zimbabwe 02/11/2015
SERIOUS factional fights are again rocking the Zanu PF’s Mashonaland East province after a vote of no confidence was passed at 2 am on Saturday against the newly elected provincial chairperson, Biggie Joel Matiza by some members of the provincial executive.
The Zanu PF Mashonaland East provincial executive was elected into office in July this year.
Ousted with Matiza in the Saturday putsch were political commissar Hebert Shumbamhini, secretary for security Tendayi Mangwiro, secretary for legal affairs Kudzima Juru, women’s league chairperson Apolonia Munzverengwi and her deputy Lyn Gororo and youth league chairperson Kelvin Mutsvairo.
However, Matiza, who has been in office for only three months, hit back later on the same day on Saturday and said the vote was illegal.
He in turn suspended his deputy Bernard Makokova and 10 other members of the executive who had signed the vote of no confidence petition.
In July, Matiza was voted into office to replace Ray Kaukonde who was dismissed as the provincial chairperson and Marondera Central MP following allegations of supporting the then Vice President Joice Mujuru’s bid to remove President Robert Mugabe.
Sources in the province said Monday that the split in the province along party factional lines has affected the Zanu PF Manicaland provincial restructuring exercise where the Mashonaland East executive was conducting the exercise.
Makokova, who had declared himself interim chairperson, at a meeting held at 2am on Saturday at the Mashonaland East provincial offices in Marondera Town, said he was now leading the Manicaland restructuring exercise.
Some of the members who attended Saturday’s midnight meeting are; secretary for administration and Marondera Central MP, Lawrence Katsiru, his deputy Cainos Ngoshi, provincial women’s league member chairperson and Goromonzi West MP Beatrice Nyamupinga and Goromonzi South MP, Petronella Kagonye, the secretary for the disabled Malvern Matimura secretary for gender Godfrey Chikono, youth league members Joel Zhanda and Rodgers Pote, Patricia Vito and Miriam Muchineripi.
They have since been suspended by Matiza.
Addressing the media on Saturday, Matiza said Makokove and his team held the meeting misusing the names of senior Zanu PF officials including the First Lady Grace Mugabe who hails from Chikomba district in Mashonaland East province in order to cause mayhem, confusion ahead of the 2018 elections.
“During their nocturnal quest for signatures to satisfy their alleged vote-of-no-confidence agenda, the members threatened that they were sent by Dr Amai Grace Mugabe, which was coercive and led to other members in Chikomba to sign because of fear to conflict with the First Family,” said Matiza.
Sources in the province said the vote of confidence that was passed against Matiza was being pushed to bring in Chikomba East MP and Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister, Edgar Mbwembwe as the new provincial chairperson.
Mbwembwe was defeated by Matiza for the post of chairperson in the July election.
He has since denied reports that he wants to replace Matiza saying he held a more senior post than his rival as a member of the Zanu PF’s Central Committee.
Mashonaland East was the first province in Zanu PF to embark in a restructuring exercise after most of the provincial chairpersons and executive members were booted out or suspended on charges of supporting Mujuru.
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