(Last Updated on November 6, 2014 by Editor)
ZIMBABWE – Zanu-PF’s Harare provincial executive yesterday passed a vote of no confidence on its provincial chairman Amos Midzi with immediate effect for fanning factionalism in the party.
The provincial committee members replaced Midzi with his deputy Christopher Chigumba in an interim capacity. Provincial secretary for finance Dumisani Chipango, who read the statement on behalf of the executive members at the Zanu-PF provincial headquarters, accused Midzi of leading factions and fanning divisions within the party.
“We the undersigned members of the provincial executive council do hereby collectively and irrevocably resolve as follows, that in terms of article 29 section 251 of the party constitution, we do hereby cast a vote of no confidence in the Zanu-PF Harare provincial chairman, Ambassador Amos Bernard Midzi,” read the statement.
“Accordingly, it is resolved that the provincial vice chairperson, Christopher Chigumba immediately takes over the provincial chairmanship in an acting capacity.” Present at the meeting were provincial treasurer Omega Hungwe, youth provincial chairman Cde Godwin Gomwe, provincial secretary for legal affairs Cde Danny Musukuma, war veterans provincial chairman Cde Charles Mpofu, Zimbabwe National Liberation War Collaborators Association secretary for women Perpetual Chimuti and Cde Innocent Hamandishe, a provincial executive member.
There were 26 members at the meeting, 22 from the main wing, three from the Youth League and one from the Women’s League.
The province questioned Cde Midzi’s leadership credentials, alleging that he was not to be trusted as he had failed to work for the common objectives of the party.
The province said his removal would heal the party’s wounds as Cde Midzi had caused “anarchy and disrepute” in the party.
“This is in respect of the party constitution of our desire to strengthen, promote, defend our revolutionary party and popularise its policies. “We want to depose the advent of factionalism which threatens to tear the party apart,” said Chipango. Musukuma said Midzi’s ouster comes against the backdrop of him holding secret meetings, with the latest being the one he convened last Sunday.
He alleged that Cde Midzi held closed door meetings with non-elected members, which he said was questionable in terms of the party constitution. Meanwhile, ousted Zanu-PF Masvingo provincial chairman Cde Kalisto Gwanetsa is allegedly pumping out cash to party members and promising to give them land in a desperate attempt to entice them to reverse a vote of no confidence passed on him recently.
Politburo member Dzikamai Mavhaire was also identified as the chief financier of the grand plan to reverse the ouster of Gwanetsa. They are also being accused of using the name of President Mugabe to intimidate and coerce people to comply with their demands.
In a statement, Masvingo acting provincial chairman Paradzai Chakona said Gwanetsa’s desperation had reached alarming levels as he was even promising people promotion and employment to act in his favour with the support of some top party members.
“Gwanetsa, in a desperate move to stop his ouster, is using money, land and promises of promotion and employment to coerce youths and other provincial members to reverse their signatures from the no-confidence vote,” he said. “A number of people were promised large sums of money and land if they withdraw their signatures and the process succeeds.”
Mavhaire and Gwanetsa are said to have convened secret meetings attended by Kudakwashe Bhasikiti, Paul Chimedza, Davis Marapira, Tongai Muzenda, Shylet Uyoyo and Oliver Huruva. “They resolved to aggressively reverse the vote of no confidence passed on Cde Gwanetsa, the process which Cde Mavhaire undertook to fund,” said Chakona. “Bhasikiti undertook to prevail on the police provincial leadership to assist in the persecution of those that were opposed to their agenda.”