Zanu PF youths in Bulawayo passed a vote of no confidence in provincial party chairman Isaac Dakamela at an emotionally-charged inter-district meeting held at the Davies Hall on Saturday.
Party sources said during the meeting, provincial youth chairman Butholezwe Gatsi reportedly had to contain some angry youths who wanted to grab car keys for a party vehicle used by Dakamela.
The youths allegedly accused Dakamela of receiving “protection fees” from foreign business people in the city to guard against invasion of their buildings by the party activists.
Contacted for comment yesterday, Dakamela said: “Where did you get that information? There is nothing like that. I was there but I did not attend the meeting because I was at my offices doing something.”
Gatsi yesterday declined to comment on the matter saying: “I do not discuss such matters with the media. There are party protocols that we follow. I report to the central committee and the provincial executive.”
But the sources said trouble started last week when Dakamela blasted the youths who had raided a building belonging to an Indian businessman and allegedly advised the businessman to get the youths arrested. In return the youths threatened to expose Dakamela’s alleged corrupt activities.
The youths said they would soon write to the provincial party coordinator and politburo member Sikhanyiso Ndlovu asking for an emergency meeting of the provincial coordinating committee to have the matter resolved.
The youths also elevated Dakamela’s deputy, Killion Sibanda, to the chairman’s post with immediate effect.
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“It was raised in the meeting that Dakamela was receiving protection fees from these businesspeople. It was also raised that Dakamela was having his vehicle serviced at a city garage, again owned by a white man free of charge in exchange for protecting his business interests.”
The youths said it was resolved that the youth wing, as a voting member of the province, should pass a vote of no confidence.
“We are calling for the sacking of Dakamela because he seems to be working against the interests of the party. He has caused the arrest of a number of youths by misrepresenting facts to the police.”
The youths said while the meeting was still in progress, Dakamela was seen milling around and eventually called Gatsi outside suggesting they solve the matter amicably.
