GWERU — Zanu PF national spokesperson Rugare Gumbo was on Sunday reportedly grilled by members of the party’s Midlands provincial executive who accused him of destroying the party’s grassroots support base.
Party insiders said the provincial leaders accused Gumbo of holding parallel Zanu PF meetings in Zvishavane and Mberengwa in a bid to drum up support for a Zanu PF faction linked to Vice-President Joice Mujuru.
Sources said the current party leadership wants Gumbo and Midlands governor Jason Machaya hounded out because of their alleged links to the faction.
The party’s provincial leadership is dominated by members sympathetic to a faction allegedly led by Defence minister Emmerson Mnangagwa.
“He was told by members he has never won an election,” said a senior party member.
“Gumbo relies on his Mujuru connections for appointments by the President (Robert Mugabe) to the central committee and politburo.”
Contacted for comment yesterday, Gumbo, who is also a politburo member, refused to speak about the incident.
“It doesn’t matter that the issues raised are directly against me or not, I don’t comment about provincial issues,” he said.
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“If it was a national issue which involves the party at that level then I would comment.” Both Gumbo and Mnangagwa were reportedly fighting to outwit each other in the battle for control of the province.
