The Sunday News
Harare Bureau
SEVERAL senior politicians suspended or expelled from Zanu-PF for factionalism and indiscipline in 2015/16 want readmission into party structures and their cases will be heard this week. Among the 40 appeals received are those of ex-ICT, Postal and Courier Services Minister Webster Shamu; his wife Mrs Constance Shamu, ex-Transport Minister Nicholas Goche and National Assembly members Kindness Paradza and Ziyambi Ziyambi.
In early 2015, Zanu-PF disciplined elements in former Vice-President Dr Joice Mujuru’s cabal for plotting to unconstitutionally topple President Mugabe in both Government and the ruling party. Some were expelled, some suspended, and others relegated to ordinary card-carrying members, with others still demoted in 2016 for various acts of indiscipline.
In keeping with natural justice, Zanu-PF’s First Secretary and President constituted the National Appeals and Review Committee to hear aggrieved individuals. VP Phelekezela Mphoko chairs the appeals committee and will oversee its first sitting this week. The committee — comprising Central Committee members — will consider merits of individual cases and could order retrials. It has authority to summon any party member to give evidence. Some appellants may not be required to appear before the committee, but simply write a formal report or present evidence to support their appeal.
Zanu-PF National Secretary for Administration Dr Ignatius Chombo told our Harare Bureau: “In Zanu-PF, every person accused of indiscipline or any transgression is tried at his/her level; from the cell right up to provincial level. When the provincial disciplinary committee passes judgment against an accused member, that judgment and a report of the hearing proceedings are taken to the Politburo for review and/or endorsement. The Politburo has the National Disciplinary Committee to verify these cases, interrogating reports and the parties involved. The NDC establishes whether grounds for the sanction to be upheld exist, and can ratify or overturn a ruling. These are the rulings that our Secretary for Information communicates to the Press after some Politburo meetings.”
