By NQOBANI NDLOVU
ZANU PF Matabeleland South’s underfire youth chairperson Washington Nkomo on Saturday survived an ouster bid after his colleagues raised several allegations against him.
Nkomo’s hold onto the post was hanging by a thread ahead of the Saturday provincial meeting attended by national party chairperson Oppah Muchinguri to discuss, among other things, the chaos bedevilling the province.
A vote of no confidence passed by the party’s Matabeleland South youth disciplinary committee against Nkomo last Thursday was on the table.
The committee accused Nkomo of bringing the party’s name into disrepute through corruption, extortion and creation of parallel structures in the province.
However, Nkomo lived to fight another day after his issue was not brought up for discussion. He confirmed in an interview on Tuesday that he remains the youth league chairperson.
“I am still the chairperson for the youth league in the province,” Nkomo said.
Zanu PF secretary for administration Obert Mpofu on Tuesday said he had only read Nkomo’s supposed suspension in the Press, saying his department had not received the petition against him.
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“I have just been reading about it in the Press, but it has not come to my office,” Mpofu said.
Last week, Matabeleland South youths demanded that Nkomo returns all party assets.
“We kindly request the party to order the withdrawal of party assets in the hands of Nkomo as this is bringing the name of the Matabeleland South youth league into disrepute, especially our branded party vehicle, which is being used for unscrupulous purposes,” the youth league said in their petition.
They accused him of being part of a US$12 000 extortion scam involving a Shangani miner during which President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s namewas used, resulting in the arrest of four party members.
Nkomo faces another charge of grabbing mining claims in West Nicholson and Shangani, also using Mnangagwa’s name to commit the act.
