(Last Updated on November 9, 2014 by Editor)
MIDLANDS – ZANU-PF Midlands province yesterday passed a vote of no confidence in its chairperson Jason Machaya, whom they accuse of fanning factionalism and failing to resolve squabbles which have seen the party going for six months without a substantive executive.
This followed a motion by Midlands provincial secretary for information and publicity Cornelius Mpereri to boot out Machaya during a provincial executive meeting held at the Zanu-PF Convention Centre in Gweru. The motion was seconded by provincial youth vice chairperson Prosper Machando.
Forty-four provincial executive members endorsed the motion out of the 50 who attended. Machaya agreed to step down and immediately left the meeting. His deputy Kizito Chivamba is now the acting provincial chairperson until the party’s elective congress set for next month in Harare.
In his report, Mpereri accused Machaya of fanning factionalism and snubbing party meetings. “As the provincial executive, we moved a motion to pass a vote of no confidence in the chairman Machaya in line with article 29 Section 251 of the party constitution,” he said.
“The reasons for the vote of no confidence are that he has failed in his capacity as chairman of the party to convene executive meetings in line with Article 12 Section 95 (2) of the constitution which states that the provincial chairman must convene at least one meeting every month.
“We only had three meetings since we became an executive. Secondly, he has been accused of fanning factionalism in the province. Through his leadership, he is letting things go haywire where people in Gokwe are having serious divisions,” he said. Mpereri said Machaya snubbed a tour of the province by the provincial executive sanctioned by the provincial co-ordinating committee.
“Finally, in April when we were suspended, Machaya chaired a meeting which was unconstitutional in that it did not constitute a quorum as per Article 3 Section 18 (5) of the party constitution which states that every meeting should constitute a quorum.
“That report went to the Politburo culminating in Shamu suspending the provincial executive. Machaya has stepped down after the motion was moved and seconded,” he said. Mpereri said four district chairpersons face disciplinary action over allegations of gross misconduct.
“In our executive meeting, we deliberated on a number of issues that include the issues of indiscipline in Shurugwi where we had some district chairpersons who were ferried by buses from Shurugwi to Harare for an unsanctioned inter-district meeting.
“We had again another issue in Gokwe where a lot of things are happening that are outside the provisions of the party’s constitution. Those will be referred to the chairman of the disciplinary committee,” he said. The removal of Machaya irritated Cephas Msipa and Rugare Gumbo, who questioned the criterion used. They are perceived to be aligned to VP Mujuru.
Gumbo accused Zanu-PF secretary for Legal Affairs and Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Emmerson Mnangagwa, of playing a role in Machaya’s sacking. “Last week Mnangagwa said there was nothing going on with regards to the vote of no confidence in Machaya,” he said.
Tapiwa Matangaidze interjected saying Mnangagwa was not a provincial executive committee member and could not be held accountable for the no confidence vote in Machaya. “The decision was made by the provincial executive of which Cde Mnangagwa is not a part. Let us leave Mnangagwa out of this issue because it is not fair to accuse him when he also is learning of the development through the report-back,” he said.
sipa and Gumbo were accused of trying to divide Zanu-PF through manipulation of the province. Machaya becomes the fourth provincial chairperson to be kicked out via a no confidence vote. Other provincial chairpersons who have suffered a similar fate are Temba Mliswa (Mashonaland West), Retired Brigadier General Callisto Gwanetsa (Masvingo), and Amos Midzi (Harare).