Politburo adopts Const amendments

via Politburo adopts Const amendments | The Herald 27 November 2014 by Felex Share

ZANU-PF’S Politburo yesterday accepted the outcome of Central Committee elections and agreed on proposed amendments to the party’s constitution that will pave way for President Mugabe to appoint all Politburo members.

This means the two Vice Presidents and Second Secretaries and the party’s national chairman, who were voted for before, would now be appointed by the President.

Sources who attended yesterday’s Politburo meeting said members had accepted names of party cadres who had been elected into the Central Committee, minus those of VP Mujuru and her allies who were rejected by the people.

VP Mujuru, who has been implicated in a plot to oust the President, lost her bid to secure a Central Committee post after her district of origin, Mt Darwin, rejected her application.

She had submitted her CV to the provincial elections directorate last Sunday, but the province said it did not want to be associated with anyone plotting to kill the party’s First Secretary.

Instead of VP Mujuru, Mount Darwin District seconded Politburo member Cde George Rutanhire.

VP Mujuru’s key allies in various provinces have also fallen by the way side for allegedly plotting to topple President Mugabe using unconstitutional means.

“All the names have been presented and accepted and the VP is not in the picture,” said the Politburo member who attended the meeting. “The names, including those from Mashonaland Central province will be presented to the Central Committee for adoption.

“The amendments that have been agreed on means that President Mugabe will have the power to appoint VPs and the national chair to avoid the creation of multiple centres of power.”

At present, the two VPs, National Chair, top six Women’s League officials and Youth League deputy secretary are elected into the Politburo directly; a situation critics have said had created many centres of power.

The source said some of the amendments included the establishment of a permanent Election Commission to run the elections of the party.

Briefing journalists after the meeting, Zanu-PF national chairman and acting spokesperson Cde Simon Khaya Moyo confirmed that the Politburo had agreed on the proposed amendments.

He refused to disclose the amendments and also refused to take questions.

“The Politburo met today (yesterday) and deliberated on the proposed amendments to the Zanu-PF constitution,” he said. “After extensive discussions on the same, the Politburo agreed on the amendments.

“These amendments will be presented to the Central Committee next week for deliberation and adoption. I will give you the details of these amendments after the Central Committee meeting.”

Cde Khaya Moyo said national political commissar Cde Webster Shamu presented the Central Committee election results recently held in all the 10 provinces.

Cde Shamu’s name was, however, reportedly not on the list after it was removed together with that of Cde Slyvester Nguni following a massive demonstration against them in Chinhoyi yesterday.

Cde Shamu remains the party’s political commissar at least until congress next week.

Cde Khaya Moyo said the full list of the Central Committee members would be availed next week.

He said it was all systems go for next week’s 6th National People’s Congress to be held in Harare.

“Preparations are going on very well in all provinces as reported by the chairpersons of provincial congress coordinating committees,” Cde Khaya Moyo said.

Delegates now arrive for the Congress on Wednesday, December 3 instead of Thursday December 4.

Cde Khaya Moyo said the congress would start on Thursday December 4 at 1pm until Saturday, while delegates are scheduled to depart on Sunday.

He said the congress venue was ready for inspection and officials would tomorrow tour the facilities.