via Zanu PF appoints new chief whip – NewsDay Zimbabwe October 20, 2015
THE Zanu PF politburo has endorsed Lovemore Matuke as the party’s parliamentary chief whip taking over from Jorum Gumbo, who was recently appointed Transport minister.
By staff reporter
Matuke is also chairman of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Energy, Mines and Power Development.
The announcement was reportedly made by Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa during last Thursday’s politburo meeting following a party legislators’ caucus meeting at the Zanu PF headquarters on the same day.
Matuke’s appointment follows the appointment of Annah Rungani as the party’s new deputy chief whip, replacing Berita Chikwama, who was elevated to Lands and Resettlement deputy minister.
Both Matuke and Rungani are from Masvingo province.
Zanu PF spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo confirmed the development yesterday.
“Yes, he (Matuke) is now the new chief whip. He was not selected by the politburo, but by the parliamentary caucus,” Khaya Moyo said.
“You can call Parliament for more information.”
Clerk of Parliament Kennedy Chokuda was not answering calls on his mobile phone yesterday.
In 2013, Matuke was suspended as Zanu PF Masvingo provincial chairman for endorsing Bikita West MP Munyaradzi Kereke’s nomination papers ahead of the ruling party’s preferred candidate Elias Musakwa.
He was suspended together with the then party provincial secretary for administration Edmund Mhere.
Matuke, a known loyalist of Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa, later bounced back into the party after the expulsion of former Vice-President Joice Mujuru and over 100 members of her faction.
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