Masvingo voters want Zanu MP recalled

via Masvingo voters want Zanu MP recalled | The Zimbabwean 20 August 2014 by Regerai Tukutuku

As factionalism within President Robert Mugabe’s ruling Zanu (PF) continues, party supporters have resolved to recall Masvingo Urban legislator Daniel Shumba from parliament, accusing him of neglecting them.

In a tense meeting after the party’s victory celebrations for regaining all 26 parliamentary seats in Masvingo, party supporters said they were simply following the new constitution. The constitution gives them power to recall their legislator if she or he fails to represent the interests of the party and the electorate.

Part of a letter written by the supporters and addressed to Masvingo provincial chairman Callisto Gweanetsa and copied to President Robert Mugabe’s office reads: “We write to you to inform you of our decision to recall Honourable Shumba from parliament since he has failed to represent us.

“Since his election into parliament he has never addressed a single meeting in his constituency and every time we try to get in touch with him he is always out of the constituency.

“In line with the new constitution, we have resolved to recall him from parliament because it appears as if Zanu (PF) supporters do not have a representative in Masvingo Urban”.

Although Gwanetsa professed ignorance about the letter, he said party supporters had the power to recall a legislator.

Shumba could not be reached for comment over the issue since his mobile phone was unreachable. However, he earlier said that he didn’t attend the party victory celebrations in Masvingo because of factionalism. Shumba accused power and energy development minister Dzikamai Mavhaire of fanning divisions in Masvingo.

Mavhaire was the guest of honour at the celebrations held at Mucheke stadium last month.

Mavhaire belongs to a faction led by vice-president Joice Mujuru, while Shumba is from the Emmerson Mnangagwa-led group. Both have denied leading factions.

Shumba, a former party provincial chairman, formed the now defunct United People’s Party after he was shown the door during the Tsholotsho debacle, in which members allegedly from the Mnangagwa camp tried to scuttle moves to have Mujuru as vice-president.

Shumba was later readmitted into Zanu (PF) and went on to win the Masvingo Urban seat in last year’s elections.

Zanu (PF) national chairman Simon Khaya Moyo recently said legislators would be given performance related contracts.