ZANU PF bigwigs, pushing for the ouster of Mashonaland West provincial chairman Temba Mliswa, were reportedly pushing for businessman Phillip Chiyangwa to replace the embattled chairman.
NUNURAI JENA OWN CORRESPONDENT
Mliswa was struggling to retain his position following last week’s no-confidence vote passed by some members of his executive.
Informed sources said the decision to elevate Chiyangwa who last year lost to Mliswa in the provincial chairperson elections, was designed to reduce tension ahead of the Zanu PF December elective congress which was fast approaching with the provincial structures in disarray.
“Chiyangwa is the only person who can be acceptable to all the factions fighting to control the province. But his nomination can be shot down by other people from Zvimba who are fronting Nimrod Chiminya,” said a senior Zanu PF official who requested anonymity. Chiminya, who is Local Government minister Ignatius Chombo’s brother, is Zvimba Rural District Council chairman.
The official said this was the only opportunity for Chiyangwa to bounce back into active politics as his chances to become a central committee member were shattered by stringent guidelines that required a member to have served 15 continuous years within Zanu PF.
The source added Chiyangwa was being backed by a camp allegedly aligned to Justice minister Emmerson Mnangagwa which was pitted against Vice-President Joice Mujuru’s faction.
Mujuru and Mnangagwa have reportedly denied harbouring presidential ambitions.
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Mliswa has not tasted peace since taking over the reins last year just like his predecessor the late John Mafa.
Chiyangwa who was part of the team that travelled around the provinces with First Lady Grace Mugabe during her “Meet the People” rallies said he was ready to take over the position if nominated.
“People have the final say of whom they want to lead them and if they settle on me who am I to refuse?” Chiyangwa said.
Mliswa’s deputy and acting provincial chairman Ziyambi Ziyambi confirmed that he was aware of plans to bring back Chiyangwa.
“Please get this correct I’m not pushing Mliswa out so that I take his position, no. I’m doing this because it is the right thing to do as he is the worst chairman I had come across. He wants to hear himself speaking at meetings, him proposing issues, seconding them and literary doing everything by himself . . . after all I’m not interested in the chairmanship as I have more things to do,” Ziyambi said.
Ziyambi warned those who wanted to unconstitutionally put their preferred candidates to follow the party constitution as the provincial executive committee was the only mandated organ to replace the chairperson.
Mliswa, who has scoffed at the no-confidence vote claiming he had the support of more than two thirds majority in the province, said he was prepared to hand over power to Chiyangwa, whom he described as a “better devil”.
But, Ziyambi yesterday insisted that Mliswa was still on suspension despite weekend reports that the decision had been reversed by 236 out of 311 district chairpersons who met in Chinhoyi last week.
“Cde Mliswa had no authority or mandate to preside over and chair the meeting because of the vote of no confidence of October 9 which stripped him of the provincial chairmanship,” he said.
“The vote of no confidence against Cde Mliswa still stands. Our members are hereby advised that he remains fired and is no longer our provincial chairman and any meetings he purports to call in his former capacity are unconstitutional and illegal. No resolutions made at any of these meetings shall be of any force and/or effect.”
