FRESH cracks have emerged in Zanu PF over the selection of
delegates to attend Friday’s extraordinary congress amid claims that bona fide
officials were being dropped by new provincial leaders, who are now
cherry-picking their allies, NewsDay has
heard.
Most provinces changed their G40 aligned leadership
recently when former party leader and ex-President Robert Mugabe was forced out
of power and they were replaced by perceived allies of President Emmerson
Mnangagwa.
Several Zanu PF officials from various provinces, who spoke
to NewsDay yesterday, expressed disgruntlement over their alleged sidelining,
saying even though the party was preaching inclusivity by day, retribution was
the order of business by night.
In Manicaland, some members claimed they were overlooked
despite not having been members of G40.
“The problem is that the general leadership in districts is
being overlooked and things are not being done procedurally according to the
[party] constitution,” an official said.
“The new leadership has captured party structures and is
simply axing sitting elected comrades and relegating many so as to replace them
with their friends and associates.
“It’s now a matter of rewarding friends as opposed to
rewarding genuine party members.”
But Manicaland provincial chairman Mike Madiro laughed off
the allegations, saying those that were attending the congress deserved to be
there, adding the claims of cherry-picking were part of an agenda to
“destabilise a peaceful Manicaland province”.
“I am not aware of that and I didn’t jump anyone,” he said.
“Any person who feels aggrieved will come to the chairman
or provincial commissar and not the newspapers.
“I am surprised by those allegations.” In Masvingo, provincial chairman Ezra Chadzamira denied
accusations of discrimination, saying he could not comment on people who were
speaking anonymously.
“If you give me their names, I will give you the reasons
[they are not attending],” he said.
“We don’t discriminate. We have more than 600 delegates and those who qualify will
go and those that don’t qualify will not be going.”
In Mashonaland West, members said those largely affected
were provincial executive members and a few district executive members, who
were accused of supporting G40 or those previously co-opted into the party
structures.
“The unfair part of it is that people are just overlooking
anyone,” an official said.
“It is chaotic because someone can just come and accuse you
of anything so that you are overlooked. Previous grudges are coming in and
there is nowhere to report. We will be in the terraces and see what happens
next.”
Mashonaland Central, where Zanu PF’s former national
commissar Saviour Kasukuwere comes from, also had a number of people who
complained of being discriminated.
In Mashonaland East, there was fracas at the Zanu PF
provincial party headquarters in Marondera on Monday over the accreditation of
members to attend the congress.
When NewsDay arrived at the venue, the scuffles had died
down, but sources said some members could not stomach being left out of the
travelling party.
“There were scuffles as some people thought they were being
sidelined and being elbowed out of attending the congress in Harare,” a party
official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said.
“But that is not the truth.
“It was just a misunderstanding between people from various
districts.
“The matter was resolved amicably and credit should be
given to the leadership who handled it well.”
Provincial chairperson Joel Biggie Matiza confirmed the
hiccup, saying the issue had since been resolved.
“There was miscommunication from the districts and that
there were some papers with lists that were missing,” he explained.
“The issue was resolved and those who had issues were
addressed. It went well and we are ready for the congress.”
Zanu PF national political commissar Victor Matemadanda
urged disgruntled members to approach the nearest party offices for redress.
“I don’t know of any such thing and even the President said
there must be no retribution,” he said.
“The party spokesperson [Simon Khaya Moyo] said the same
and those that claim they are being left out must approach the nearest party
office.
“If they are members of Zanu PF, they know the right
channels to use.
“We cannot rule out that some things might be happening in
provinces, but that can only be addressed if they come forth so that we address
the matter.
“I advise that person or people to go to Zanu PF offices
because we don’t have to be retributive save for the members who were suspended
or fired by the central committee recently.” Newsday
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