THE Zanu PF Harare provincial youth executive has made recommendations for the suspension of its leader Godwin Gomwe and three other executive members facing charges of abusing the name of First Lady Grace Mugabe to extort $46 000 from housing co-operatives in Harare.
By Everson Mushava
Acting provincial youth chairperson Edson Takataka confirmed the development yesterday saying the recommendations were made on Wednesday with the majority arguing the allegations levelled against Gomwe had brought the name of the party into disrepute.
The decision is set to compound Gomwe’s woes. He is currently remanded in custody until June 17 over allegations of extorting $46 000 from eight housing co-operatives in Harare’s high-density suburbs of Glen Norah using Mugabe’s name.
“Yes, we have recommended that Cde Gomwe be suspended. The national executive led by Cde (Pupurai) Togarepi will have the final say. He will tell us how to proceed, but for now, we have decided to suspend him and I am the acting chairperson,” Takataka said.
Takataka said they were yet to submit their proposals to Togarepi who is Zanu PF secretary for youth affairs in the politburo. Other executive members who have been suspended were Tendai Chirawu (deputy secretary for information), Claris Munyati (deputy secretary for transport) and Spencer Mutero (secretary for legal affairs).
“The executive met to deliberate Gomwe’s fate. It was resolved that his conduct was putting the name of the party into disrepute. He was also accused of not respecting the party leadership and people in general, abusing the First Lady’s name and lack of respect for security personnel such as Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) and police officers,” the source said.
Two weeks ago, Gomwe was reported to the police for allegedly using obscene language against a CIO operative and labelling all CIOs as “Gamatox”, a term used to denigrate Party members reportedly aligned to former Vice-President Joice Mujuru’s camp.
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Gomwe was suspended several times by the then Amos Midzi-led Harare provincial executive only to be saved by politburo members belonging to Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s faction.
At the last politburo meeting, Zanu PF secretary for commissariat Saviour Kasukuwere reportedly pushed a motion to have Gomwe fired from the party, but Cleveria Chizema shot down the proposal.
