The Sunday News
Nduduzo Tshuma
ZANU-PF Political Commissar Cde Saviour Kasukuwere yesterday warned the party’s Matabeleland North Provincial structures to stop being frivolous and avoid unnecessary fights that could cause confusion as they are relied upon for stability.Addressing a Provincial Co-ordinating Committee (PCC) meeting in Lupane, Cde Kasukuwere said the incident late last year that saw a failed bid to oust senior party members in the run-up to the party’s National Congress should not be repeated.
Cde Kasukuwere said the province had a double honour of having the highest number of Politburo members and hosting President Mugabe’s 91st birthday celebrations next month.
The Political Commissar said they did not want to hold the celebrations amid chaos in the province.
In the run up to the Zanu-PF 6th National People’s Congress last December, the province tried without success to withdraw names of Cdes Jacob Mudenda, Sithembiso Nyoni, Fati Mpofu and Elias Mavule from the Central Committee list.
Cde Nyoni was also barred from attending a party to celebrate the appointment of Politburo members held in Binga recently for calling the provincial leadership shallow after the failed bid to withdraw her from the Central Committee list.
The province was also forced to reverse the suspension of five members from Hwange District after initially ratifying the sanction.
“Let’s turn a new page in 2015. Let’s respect our members of the Politburo, war veterans, ministers and Senators but even us the elders let’s respect those below us,” said Cde Kasukuwere.
“In other words, it’s not one way traffic. We should unite and respect each other. We must stop being frivolous. The province must not be a frivolous province which pursues trivial matters.
“Chairman I’m saying so because I know this province to be a very stable province. We were very pleased when we heard that in Matabeleland North, there were no problems in provincial and Central Committee but at some point problems started to show.
“I hope we have left that page in 2014. Let’s forge ahead united in 2015. Let’s give each other support and respect and work with one objective of promoting Zanu-PF.”
Cde Kasukuwere urged the province to avoid personality clashes and concentrate on delivery.
“We came here to Matabeleland North because we rely on this province. I’m happy chairman that we did not find this province at the centre of this confusion that happened,” he said.
Cde Kasukuwere said despite the personality clashes, the province remained loyal to President Mugabe.
“Let’s continue in that good direction. Don’t get swayed. Don’t sell your souls, Cdes where we are, we need to be straightforward and disciplined,” said Cde Kasukuwere.
He called on members to let go of old grudges and forge ahead.
Cde Kasukuwere also dismissed reports that he had come to dissolve the province saying he was there to unite people and strengthen the party.
“If the chairman is wronged by my elders here, come to me. That’s my job. There are things that we deal with at our level, certain things that we deal with at the top level,” said Cde Kasukuwere.
“I say so because of some of the toxic issues that were being raised. If they are any serious issues bring them to us. Let’s now work together. The past, let bygones be bygones and let’s move Matabeleland North forward.”
Commenting on the suspension of five Hwange district members that he nullified, Cde Kasukuwere said there was a need to mobilise than sack members.
“Leadership is not pushing people out. Leadership is adding more people to be led. If you lead a full house like this you enjoy it but if you lead people from two benches in the front you are not useful,” he said.
Cde Kasukuwere warned Matabeleland North against sinking to the level of Bulawayo Province that has failed to win elections since 2000.
“I said in the paper Bulawayo is a cellphone town. They run the party with cellphones. Hie Nkosi, are you there? Yes I am. What hotel number are you in? It’s not the number or the hotel room I am in that matters, it’s what you are doing with the people there,” said Cde Kasukuwere.
“Bulawayo is not growing because everyday someone is calling some other chef to discuss issues that they must deal with at their own level. I hope Matabeleland North will not sink to that level.”
He called on the province to continue working hard and winning elections.
“You won elections in the same terrain, the same geography. Why is it that Cde (Obert) Mpofu wins right inside Bulawayo isn’t his constituency starts in town? How does he win? Councillors there are Zanu-PF, how does he win and you the neighbour loses? Umguza surrounds the city. Councillors there are Zanu-PF. If Zanu-PF can win Matabeleland North there, then what about the comrades in town?”
Cde Kasukuwere said the party had emerged stronger after ridding itself of elements who thought that they were bigger than the party.
“We have a President of our party who we all must follow, support and stop thinking that things belong to you. There are elders, our President who is our leader,” said Cde Kasukuwere.
He said some officials at the backdrop of the party’s 2013 election victory were busy jostling for positions and claiming control over some provinces.
“You have one President, how dare you say I have a province, whose? Yours? The provinces must belong to the party,” said Cde Kasukuwere.
“Those are President Mugabe’s provinces and you should support him. As chairman, you belong to President Mugabe you are not anyone’s. You are chairman of Zanu-PF under President Mugabe.”
He said provinces were being run by “godfathers” with Cdes Dzikamai Mavhaire and Didymus Mutasa controlling chairpersons in Masvingo and Manicaland respectively.
“You meet as a cabal and discuss how you will share positions. We left the objective that made Zanu-PF win elections, that of implementing policies to uplift the wellbeing of our people,” said Cde Kasukuwere.
He called on Matabeleland North to ignore attention seekers like sacked party Secretary for Information and Publicity Rugare Gumbo and Cde Mutasa who are challenging the legitimacy of the 6th National People’s Congress.
“I am surprised that Cde Gumbo still comes out and says we are still fighting. Fighting who? Rugare must know that his name is important because it means peace. Don’t bring problems to yourself and start suffering. He was the author of problems in Zanu-PF, busy lying,” said Cde Kasukuwere.
“He was spokesperson, the centre of all the confusion, confused statements, divisions were emanating from his office. His was a disastrous spokesperson in the party. We ended all that.”
Cde Kasukuwere said Zanu-PF would not fail because Gumbo, Mutasa and Jabulani Sibanda were no longer in the party.
“In fact we are actually saying good riddance to bad rubbish,” he said.
The meeting also learnt from the national youth leadership that preparations for the 21st February Movement Celebrations were well on course.
