ZANU PF Manicaland provincial chair Mike Madiro was reportedly booed and detained by angry war veterans and party activists, after failing to explain circumstances leading to Joseph Mujati’s demotion as vice-chairperson.
BY KENNETH NYANGANI
The incident happened on Unity Day at Vengere Hall after Madiro had just finished addressing a Makoni inter-district meeting.
Madiro reportedly made a raft of changes to the provincial structures, with Mujati being replaced by Dorothy Mabika from Chipinge as his deputy, while Makoni North legislator Francis Muchenje was promoted from deputy secretary to secretary for security.
A source who attended the meeting said the skirmishes started after Madiro refused to take questions from party supporters over Mujati’s status.
“After addressing the meeting, there was a suggestion to have a question-and-answer session, but Madiro refused and people started shouting. He was briefly detained by the war veterans,” the source said. “They wanted to know why Dorothy Mabika was promoted, demoting Mujati who is also from Makoni district. I think everyone in the province knows how Mujati fought the G40 cabal. He was victimised by the Samuel Undenge-led executive.”
Party members felt Mujati should have remained in the executive, considering the role he played in blocking Undenge’s bid to turn the entire province into a G40 entity.
Zanu PF Manicaland youth chairman Tawanda Mukodza confirmed the incident, but said Madiro was not the target.
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“The meeting went on very well. It was after the meeting that the skirmishes started. There were some people who did not want Chief Makoni to give a vote of thanks,” Mukodza said.
“They have their own fights in Makoni, but chairman Madiro wanted to solve the disputes and some blows were exchanged. “The chairman [Madiro] addressed the people and they were happy at the end.”
Both Madiro and provincial secretary for administration Kenneth Saruchera could not be reached for comment yesterday.
