ZANU PF yesterday defied calls by First Lady Grace Mugabe to stop unnecessary Politburo purges and went ahead to suspend 39 more officials, among them former and current cabinet ministers such as Webster Shamu, Sylvester Nguni and Andrew Langa.
BY OBEY MANAYITI/MOSES MATENGA
The politburo sat yesterday to, among other things, suspend former Information and Communication Technology (ICT) minister Shamu and former minister of State Nguni for three years.
Most of the officials were suspended for two years for reportedly being aligned to former Vice-President Joice Mujuru, who was accused of trying to topple President Robert Mugabe from power using supernatural powers.
Shamu and Nguni were suspended for three years while Mashonaland West secretary for administration Kindness Paradza was suspended for two years.
Officials suspended from other provinces include Shamu’s wife Constance, former Bulawayo chairperson Callistus Ndlovu, among others. In Mashonaland West, the party suspended Joshua Chakona, Adrian Musiiwa, Stephen Karenga and five others. In Matabeleland South 16 members were suspended for two years, among them Langa who is also Sport, Arts and Culture minister. In Bulawayo, Ndlovu and 11 others were suspended. The meeting, according to Zanu PF spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo, discussed the ongoing restructuring exercise by the national commissar Saviour Kasukuwere and the efforts by Finance minister Patrick Chinamasa to initiate economic development.
Khaya Moyo said Grace’s statement calling upon the party to concentrate on national programmes was received with thunderous applause from politburo members who agreed the party had a responsibility to build the country.
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“The message by First Lady Dr Grace Mugabe as you have seen in various media, speaking in her capacity as secretary for Women’s League (is) that we must unite and stop gossiping and that there must be no witch hunting and we must now concentrate on building the party,” he said.
“Of course, the politburo is there to make policies that draw the country forward and not backwards. I hope (Grace’s message) will resonate with all party members across the country. We have a responsibility to build our economy and as you know our party motto is very clear on unity, peace and development. We must all subscribe to that motto and do those things which improve the quality of lives of our people.”
Zanu PF recently fired seven officials and suspended 89 others in a purge of those perceived to be Mujuru’s allies.
