The Sunday News
From Levi Mukarati in Triangle, Masvingo
PRESIDENT Mugabe yesterday held a no-holds barred meeting with senior Zanu-PF leaders in Masvingo to resolve factional fights that have spurred divisions in the province.
A second interface will take place in Harare on a date to be announced. Emerging from the indaba at Triangle Country Club at around 5.30pm, and after listening to presentations from a number of leaders for six hours, President Mugabe said further briefings were in order. The Zanu-PF’s First Secretary and President called on the province to restore order in the wake of successionist politics that are detracting attention from the ruling party’s mandate of delivering on socio-economic transformation.
President Mugabe told journalists: “We had frank deliberations; people were afforded the chance to say their views, but, unfortunately, we could not exhaust everything. We have planned another meeting for Harare.”
In an interview, Zanu-PF National Political Commissar Cde Saviour Kasukuwere said the meeting was part of efforts to rid the party of factional politics.
“We have had a fruitful meeting with the leadership and legislators from Masvingo who had various issues which they felt were dividing the party. Because we are a democratic party that wants to afford everyone a right to respond, we could not come up with a conclusive position. As such, the President saw it fit to convene another meeting in Harare with the people we met today so that each party member has a chance to present his/her views. In general, we had a frank meeting where people were free to say or express themselves.”
Gutu Central National Assembly representative and Zanu-PF Chief Whip Cde Lovemore Matuke said: “The meeting went on very well. The President heard the complaints from some Members of Parliament who had raised issues against (some of their seniors in the province). They were complaining against the treatment they are getting from them. The President said we will meet in Harare because everything that was raised needs a response and those who presented needed to be responded to.
“As a party we are democratic. Everyone spoke freely and responded freely. I would not want to dwell too much on issues because most of the things we agreed on were confidential.”
Weeks ago, parliamentarians from Masvingo sought audience with President Mugabe to air their concerns on issues affecting the province. At the last Zanu-PF Politburo meeting on 8 June, National Spokesperson Ambassador Simon Khaya Moyo told journalists that Cde Kasukuwere had reversed changes made to the Masvingo provincial executive when commissar Cde Jappy Jaboon, Youth League chair Cde Nobert Ndaarombe and Women’s League chair Cde Veronica Makonese were demoted by the provincial co-ordinating committee.
Zanu-PF Masvingo province is headed by acting chair Cde Amasa Nhenjana whose predecessor, Cde Ezra Chadzamira, is contesting his suspension. Cde Paradzai Chakona, who was removed from the chair’s post and replaced by Cde Chadzamira, also claimed his ouster was based on malice. Zanu-PF romped to victory in all the province’s 26 National Assembly constituencies in 2013 as the party claimed a landslide victory in that year’s national harmonised elections.
