The party is set to conduct provincial elections next month
to elect provincial executives.
The fights have divided party members, with some coalescing
around President Emmerson Mnangagwa while others are allegedly backing his
deputy, Constantino Chiwenga.
Party structures held meetings across provinces at the
weekend where they endorsed Mnangagwa as the party’s candidate for the 2023
general elections.
Mnangagwa is today set to preside over a politburo meeting
following the weekend inter-district and provincial co-ordinating committee
meetings.
A petition by about 6 000 party members from Mashonaland
East alleged serious factional fights and unscrupulous behaviour by party
members. It painted a picture of a party in shambles.
The petition, addressed to acting provincial chairperson
Michael Madanha, comes as the ruling party embark on elections tomorrow to
choose district executive members.
“This petition is against the compilation of factional cell
membership registers and the imposition of executive committees at cell, branch
and district levels in Murewa South constituency,” the petition read in part.
“This is being done contrary to instructions from the
(acting) national political commissar (Patrick Chinamasa) to restructure the
party in a transparent and democratic manner, starting with compilation of new
cell membership registers.”
Another fight in Murewa South is over the vacant
parliamentary seat following the death of former Transport minister Joel Biggie
Matiza. The jostling for the position has caused tension in the district.
“Cell registers inclusive of the cell executive committees
were compiled secretly along factional lines by a few individuals who were
appointed as district executive committee members during the run up to the 2018
elections.
“Most of the elected district executive committee members
were removed and replaced by campaign committee members of the late MP comrade
JB Matiza,” the petition read in part.
“These are the de facto district executive committees
implementing shenanigans to exclude from cell registers and executive
committees all those party members they perceive as rivals.”
Madanha told a provincial co-ordinating committee (PCC)
meeting in Marondera on Saturday that there was need for party members to
follow stipulated guidelines during the ongoing restructuring exercise.
In Manicaland, politburo member Simbarashe Mumbengegwi
confirmed divisions in the province and in an attempt to douse the fires,
warned members against unethical conduct.
“We don’t need mudslinging in the party. If we are in
elections this does not mean that we are in a war. We have realised some people
have started campaigns against the politburo decision not to campaign and that
is gross indiscipline,” he said.
“Some are using social media to attack each other and that
is not good. Let’s have discipline in the party and that is critical.”
Three candidates are vying for the provincial chairmanship.
The incumbent, Mike Madiro is facing a challenge from
Makoni district co-ordination committee chairperson Albert Nyakuedzwa and
Chipinge South MP Enock Porusingazi.
Nyanga North MP Chido Sanyatwe is favourite to land the
women’s league top job, but is facing challenge from the incumbent Happiness
Nyakuedzwa.
Mnangagwa’s home province, Midlands, has also witnessed
fierce battles involving a camp linked to State Security minister Owen Ncube
and incumbent provincial chairman Daniel Mackenzie-Ncube.
The fight has reportedly turned tribal with a camp linked
to Ncube describing Mackenzie-Ncube and his backers as “dissidents” and Zapu,
invoking memories of the infamous 1980s Gukurahundi massacres that resulted in
the death of over 20 000 people in the region.
“A lot is happening on the ground to ensure the chairman
(Mackenzie-Ncube) pulls out of the race, but that has failed. The reality now
is the two will face each other in the polls and the chairman will likely win
it despite all attempts by the other camp,” a source said.
Adverts promoting Ncube have been circulating on social
media, describing him as the man behind massive infrastructural development,
including construction of base stations and roads in the province.
There are also allegations that machete gangs have
resurfaced in the province to prop up the State security minister.
In Masvingo, a camp closely linked to the provincial
chairperson Ezra Chadzamira has sensationally claimed that Chiwenga was behind
a plot to arrest the Provincial Affairs minister to ensure that he does not
retain the party provincial chairperson position.
There were claims in Mashonaland Central that there was an
attempt on the life of aspiring provincial chairperson Lazarus Dokora.
Dokora is facing off against Home Affairs minister Kazembe
Kazembe for the chairmanship amid accusations and counter accusations of
vote-buying. Newsday
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