via Pro-Mujuru ministers face congress shutout 19 November 2014 by Moses Matenga
ZANU PF hawks linked to the First Family have threatened to block Cabinet ministers and party officials implicated in an alleged plot to topple President Robert Mugabe from attending next month’s elective congress in Harare as the purge against Vice-President Joice Mujuru loyalists intensifies.
The ruling party’s congress runs from December 2 to 7.
Zanu PF Harare provincial youth chairperson Godwin Gomwe, who ironically has his vote of no confidence case still pending, confirmed the plan yesterday saying all party officials linked to Mujuru would be blocked from attending this year’s congress.
“We don’t want to see them. They will have their congress in Dotito (Mujuru’s constituency),” Gomwe told NewsDay.
On Monday, party youths attending Grace Mugabe’s meeting at her Mazowe Children’s Home verbally attacked several ministers among them Indigenisation minister Francis Nhema, Defence minister Sydney Sekeramayi, Higher and Tertiary Education minister Olivia Muchena, Courier Services minister Webster Shamu and Presidential Affairs minister Didymus Mutasa, claiming they were part of a team plotting Mugabe’s downfall.
Others who have also been under fire include Foreign Affairs minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi, Energy minister Dzikamai Mavhaire, Minister of State for Presidential Affairs Flora Buka and Midlands Provincial Affairs minister Jason Machaya.
Other senior officials who have been punished for supporting Mujuru are suspended spokesperson Rugare Gumbo, axed war veterans’ leader Jabulani Sibanda and nine provincial chairpersons.
Although acting party chairperson Simon Khaya Moyo could not be reached for comment over the planned purge, opposition parties and analysts yesterday urged Mugabe to stamp his authority and block the move as that could cause chaos in the party.
Political analyst Ibbo Mandaza said until Mugabe acts “to stop this, it won’t stop”.
“He started it by allowing people to be suspended and expelled without due process being followed,” Mandaza said. “He started it, he has to stop it or else the party will be split, not only the party will be split, but even the State.
“We are seeing this for the first time in the history of the party. This has never happened and even in 1978, people like Gumbo were tried, not what we are seeing now including wild rallies and wild accusations.”
Opposition MDC-T spokesperson Obert Gutu said what was happening in Zanu PF was tragic and affecting the country’s economy.
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