The Zanu PF politburo has reportedly expelled former minister in ousted Vice-President Joice Mujuru’s office, Sylvester Nguni, and Guruve South MP Chriswell Mutemasaka on allegations of fanning factionalism and working with the deposed VP.
by XOLISANI NCUBE
Although party spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo yesterday said the list of expelled members and the fate of others facing disciplinary action had not yet been finalised, insiders confirmed to NewsDay that Nguni and Mutemasaka were expelled during the Wednesday politburo meeting.
They said Mashonaland Central youth league boss Godfrey Tsenengamu, who last month received a vote of no-confidence, was suspended for five years.
“As I said yesterday (Wednesday) during my Press briefing, we received recommendations from the national disciplinary committee chaired by Vice-President Phelekezela Mphoko. But we are still deliberating on the issue and I am going to make a statement later in the day,” Khaya Moyo said.
“It is still unofficial what you are asking. Wait for my statement, which will detail all disciplinary cases handled by the committee. For now, all that is just rumours. We are looking into the people involved for a final decision.”
But party insiders said the politburo had agreed to suspend Tsenengamu for five years and Manicaland Women’s League boss Happiness Nyakuedzwa for two years for allegedly causing factional fights in their respective provinces.
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“On Tsenengamu, it was felt that he was becoming disrespectful to his seniors in the party, and the party had set an example to other youths through him — that you have to be respectful even if they have wronged you,” a politburo member said on condition of anonymity.
“He (Tsenengamu) has been attacking party leaders on social media, even the First Lady [Grace Mugabe] and party commissar Saviour Kasukuwere. He was using his links with Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa to do all this and that had to be stopped.”
On Nyakuedzwa, the source said, a damming report presented by Women’s League deputy secretary Eunice Sandi Moyo, after her fact-finding visit to Manicaland this week, was instrumental in her ouster.
“The report was very damming and it did not exonerate her from factionalism, hence she was suspended from the party,” another senior Zanu PF official said.
“Some tried to save her, but they could not do much, as the evidence drew the President’s attention. However, Monica Mutsvangwa, one of the people who had been supporting Nyakuedzwa, survived for now. She received backing from President (Robert) Mugabe.”
Tsenengamu had been voted out of office on allegations of fanning divisions and abusing resources channelled to the Youth League.
He, however, accused Kasukuwere of “persecuting him” because he had invited Mnangagwa to visit an apostolic shrine in the province.
The disciplinary committee is chaired by Mphoko and has Kasukuwere, Grace and secretary for youth affairs Pupurai Togarepi among its members.
Meanwhile, Mugabe reportedly rebuked War Veterans minister Christopher Mutsvangwa for allegedly belittling those who did not participate in the liberation struggle, yet they were “loyal members of the party”.
“The tongue-lashing from the President to Mutsvangwa was severe. This was largely due to complaints by the First Lady that there were some war veterans who had been disrespecting her because she did not participate in the liberation struggle,” another source said.
Mutsvangwa was unavailable for comment on the reported attack, while Khaya Moyo refused to discuss what he termed “sensitive party issues”.
“Why are you asking issues that I have not reported to you? If it happened, it would not be for your consumption,” he said.
