Former president Robert Mugabe could make a sensational
return to Zanu-PF one and a half years after the frail nonagenarian was swept
from power by a military coup- if the party's overtures to him yield positive
results.
Zanu-PF is on a drive to embrace defectors and members that
were expelled from the party by the previous party administration led by former
President Mugabe.
Zanu-PF secretary for administration Dr Obert Mpofu, said
the party was making changes and accepting its lost sheep.
Former Zanu-PF secretary for administration Didymus Mutasa
and former Mashonaland East provincial minister Ambrose Mutinhiri have already
retraced their steps back to the ruling party - but leader of the People's
Rainbow Coalition and former vice president of Zimbabwe Joice Mujuru says she
will never go back.
Dr Mpofu who welcomed the pair said the readmission was a
directive from President Mnangagwa who was keen on uniting and strengthening
party.
President Mnangagwa, Mpofu said, wanted to unite the people
with a view to collectively build the nation.
"We welcome you comrades. President Mnangagwa has
directed us to readmit former members, willing to re-join the party.
"The President has even gone further to invite members
of the opposition saying let us build our country together.
"He believes that we should not derail our development
through unnecessary politicking. We are all Zimbabweans we must work together
to develop the nation.
"You will be seeing the new dispensation arrangement
where we have fulltime members of the party, you will see a different Zanu-PF
in terms of operations and effectiveness because we are not closing anyone out,
we have agreed that all members who were expelled from the party or who left
the party should come back," he said.
Mpofu said the party
needed senior members like the pair for guidance.
Dr Mpofu said the restructuring that was going on within
the party had seen members that have been expelled tracking back as they were
still interested in working for the party.
"This restructuring exercise has actually given the
members that sympathise with us some hope of participating in the party they
love. The previous system was so restrictive that members were not allowed to
exercise their democratic right to participate in the party. So this is one of
the benefits and results in the last few weeks following the dissolution of
Bulawayo Province for one," he said.
Meanwhile, after making stunning revelations that he was
going to meet former president Robert Mugabe at his Blue Roof mansion, MDC
leader Nelson Chamisa said Zanu-PF has increased security at the former
president's house in a bid to block the meeting.
Addressing the party's provincial structures in Masvingo
recently, Chamisa claimed that Mugabe promised to give him damning files on all
the Zanu-PF top brass hence the reason why they went into panic mode over the
proposed meeting.
"I wanted to cause panic within Zanu-PF and said I
wanted to meet Mugabe. Everyone in Zanu-PF went into panic mode and they were
sweating all over.
"I heard Mugabe has damaging files on all Zanu-PF
chefs and he told me to come get them so they want to prevent me from seeing him.
This has become a contentious issue within Zanu-PF and we hear they are
increasing security at the Blue Roof mansion to make sure that I do not get in.
Every day they add soldiers," said Chamisa.
The youthful opposition leader said he is yet to meet Mugabe
and is still playing politics but he will eventually visit him.
"I haven't met Mugabe since he was removed from power
to ask him how retirement is going. Mugabe thought that the country would come
to a standstill when he is not in power but that is not the case. I am still
playing politics but will eventually have a meeting with Mugabe," said
Chamisa.
The proposed meeting with Mugabe has since divided opinion
with many questioning the logic behind meeting someone who terrorised
opposition members and ruined the country.
No comment could be obtained from Zanu-PF national
spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo as his mobile went straight to voice mail. Daily News
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