Masvingo backs bigwig expulsions
ZANU-PF Masvingo is backing the decision by the party’s Central Committee to expel former Masvingo Provincial Affairs Minister Dr Paul Chimedza, ex-Foreign Affairs Minister Dr Walter Mzembi and legislator Dr Daniel Shumba.
The trio, including Masvingo provincial youth chair Cde Nobert Ndaarombe, are believed to be part of the G40 group that was fomenting instability and confusion in the party and province.
The decision to expel the clique was reached at an Extraordinary ZANU-PF Central Committee meeting held in Harare recently, which saw the election of President Emmerson Mnangagwa as the First Secretary of the ruling party after Cde Robert Mugabe was recalled from the party.
ZANU-PF Masvingo provincial chair Cde Ezra Chadzamira yesterday said the expulsion of the quartet was now waiting ratification at next month’s Extraordinary Congress.
‘‘We fully support the decision by the Central Committee to expel (Dr) Mzembi, (Dr) Chimedza,and (Cde) Ndaarombe from the party. (Dr) Shumba is also among the expelled members and we are fully behind the move to fire the four because of what they were doing, destroying the party in Masvingo,’’ he said.
‘‘We are now waiting for the Extraordinary ZANU-PF Congress to endorse their sacking from the party, but there is no going back.’’
The four former ZANU-PF Masvingo bigwigs were accused of sowing the seeds of confusion and instability as they spearheaded arbitrary suspensions and expulsions of duly elected party members in a bid to advance the interests of G40.
After their appointment as Minister of Foreign Affairs and Masvingo Provincial Affairs Minister Dr Mzembi and Dr Chimedza, respectively, are accused of orchestrating a campaign to either expel or suspend leaders who were voted in by the people, replacing them with their acolytes.
Dr Shumba and Cde Ndaarombe are also accused of working with the two former ministers to prop up the G40 cabal in Masvingo.
Cde Chadzamira said the province was now working on rebuilding the party to make sure that it is united ahead of next year’s harmonised elections. He, however, cautioned that the party will not be vengeful against members suspected to be part of the G40 group.
‘‘Some of the so-called G40 members will be forgiven because we need to rebuild the party and move forward. We cannot move forward if we cannot forgive, but of course there is an exception for those who were leading the G40 onslaught in the province.’’
‘‘We are fully aware that some of those people who were working for the G40 cabal were just railroaded into doing so, they were just following the tide and we will forgive them for the good of the party,’’ said Cde Chadzamira.
President Mnangagwa has since dissolved his Cabinet and will appoint a new one in due course, meaning that both Dr Mzembi and Dr Chimedza have since lost their positions in Government.
The Zanu-PF Masvingo Youth League has since announced that it will fill the now vacant position of youth chair.