via Another counter vote of no confidence in Manicaland – Newsday October 22, 2015
A RIVAL Zanu PF faction yesterday passed a vote of no confidence in the Manicaland executive, as fights to control the province escalate.
BY OBEY MANAYITI
Warring factions now pin their hopes on the intervention of First Lady Grace Mugabe, who is reportedly away in China.
On Sunday, provincial women’s boss Happiness Nyakuedzwa was booted out for allegedly demeaning Grace in Chimanimani, among other allegations, before she reportedly teamed up with national women’s league member, Monica Mutsvangwa and others, to reverse the decision on Tuesday.
Nyakuedzwa had been replaced by Nokuthula Matsikanyere.
Moments after Nyakuedzwa and her team ousted Matsikanyere and four others, another Press conference was called by a rival group, claiming Nyakuedzwa remained suspended, while calling for a disciplinary hearing against Mutsvangwa.
“We reversed a decision to fire us because an already fired person like Nyakuedzwa has no legal mandate to meddle in party activities,” Matsikanyere said yesterday.
“If someone is given a vote of no-confidence, then there is no basis to convene another meeting. The matter is now before the politburo and she is not allowed to indulge with the league. We are equally surprised that a person like Mutsvangwa will help preside over such an illegal meeting.
“That was child’s play. We cannot waste time on that and as former chair, she (Nyakuedzwa) should know better that she has to wait for a disciplinary hearing or the outcome of politburo.”
Matsikanyere, together with Provincial Affairs minister Mandi Chimene, are allegedly aligned to Grace, while Mutsvangwa and Environment minister Oppah Muchinguri were reportedly fighting in Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s camp.
The pro-Matsikanyere group alleged that mostly war veterans and war collaborators participated in her ouster.
However, Mutsvangwa, who is the national women’s league spokesperson, defended the meeting, which ousted Matsikanyere, saying there was no bussing of people and all who attended were bona fide women’s league members.
“I don’t know the games they are playing. I attended the meeting as a national member after I received an invitation from the chairlady.
“There is democracy in Zanu PF and I asked the office to invite everyone and those people should have taken the opportunity to attend and hear what was said,” she said.
Matsikanyere’s supporters alleged that the counter vote of no-confidence by Mutsvangwa resembled a boardroom coup and was meant to force the politburo to nullify both suspensions by the rival factions in order to save Nyakuedzwa.
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