Zanu PF restructuring in limbo

THE Zanu PF restructuring exercise in different parts of the country is said to be in limbo as divisions continue to rock provinces. Harare is said to be deeply divided, and due to squabbling over posts, the province now awaits a full national commissariat report.

The party’s restructuring exercise has caused turmoil in different provinces such as Mutare, forcing Zanu PF leadership to halt its programmes to put its house in order.

Harare provincial acting chairperson Godwills Masimirembwa yesterday said they were still waiting for a report from the national commissariat so that all provinces will know the way forward.

“The national commissariat sent a team to verify the districts, where we had conducted elections and by the time they came, we had done almost 99% of the districts,” Masimirembwa said.

“The report by the national commissariat is not with us. We can only wait for the report from the national commissariat on whether they are happy or not with what we did.

“We are hopeful that our districts as Harare province will be approved and we move on.

The party is much stronger in Harare and we have almost 300 party districts here, which brings membership to over 400 000, but we continue to recruit more members.”

Asked on the chaos that hit the province, leading to him being attacked by aspiring provincial chairperson Godwin Gomwe last month, Masimirembwa said “body movements” were expected in all contests.

“There was no chaos, but whenever there is an election, wherever there is contestation, there will be a bit of body movement here and there.

“There was no chaos, all is well,” he said. Masimirembwa was attacked by Gomwe over allegations that he was manipulating structures in Epworth.

The matter is before the courts.

Chaos erupted in almost all the provinces across the country during the Zanu PF restructuring exercise, forcing the party leadership to postpone the exercise until after last month’s national people’s conference.

In Mutare, party supporters formed coalitions to fight provincial chairperson Mike Madiro, whom they accused of imposing candidates.

As a result of the skirmishes in provinces, there were attempts by the party leadership to forego the provincial executive elections and appoint candidates, but the suggestion was shot down.

Violence also marred the restructuring exercise in the Midlands, Mashonaland Central Mashonaland West and many other provinces.

Zanu PF acting national political commissar Patrick Chinamasa and acting national spokesperson Mike Bimha were not reachable for comment yesterday.