Divisions within Zanu PF in Bulawayo deepened yesterday with politburo member Sikhanyiso Ndlovu dismissing the weekend move by senior party officials to suspend provincial chairman Isaac Dakamela as “null and void”.
The Zanu PF provincial co-ordinating committee (PCC) suspended Dakamela and replaced him with his deputy Killian Sibanda at the Sunday meeting over allegations of defying the party.
Party insiders said Dakamela was facing a number of allegations including protecting white businesspeople during the invasion of city buildings by Zanu PF youths last year.
He was also reportedly at loggerheads with some senior Zanu PF members over the Garikai/Hlalani Kuhle stands as he was accused of not doing enough to ensure party members benefited from the programme.
However, in a clear sign of the gravity of divisions within the party, Ndlovu came out guns blazing, insisting Dakamela was still chairman as due process had not been followed in ejecting him.
“Whatever decision they made does not hold, because they needed to write to the politburo and national disciplinary committee raising the allegations,” he said.
“Dakamela needed to be given time to write a report responding to the allegations. Until such a time, Dakamela remains the chairman of the province.
“The decision to suspend Dakamela was not unanimous in any case.
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“Some of us were not there at the meeting, some politburo members were also not there.”
Contacted for his view yesterday, Zanu PF deputy secretary for information and publicity Cain Mathema refused to comment.
“I have only read about the matter in the (news)papers,” he said.
“I have not yet received a report on the matter. We are waiting to be briefed on the matter.”
The new chairman, Sibanda, maintained Dakamela had been suspended and the meeting which made the decision was legal.
“The suspension is still valid and we are now writing to the party headquarters notifying them of the outcome of the PCC,” he said.
“The meeting was well constituted.
“Dakamela was not suspended by one person, but by the PCC in Sunday’s meeting that Ndlovu was invited to, but unfortunately did not attend as he said he was sick.”
Zanu PF youths late last year passed a vote of no confidence in Dakamela accusing him of frustrating their invasion of properties owned by non-indigenous Zimbabweans.
Dakamela was also accused of failing to call meetings on a number of occasions.
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