Covid-19: Zanu PF defers indaba indefinitely

22 Oct, 2020 - 10:10 0 Views
Covid-19: Zanu PF defers indaba indefinitely Cde Patrick Chinamasa

The Sunday News

Harare Bureau

THE ZANU PF Politburo yesterday resolved to indefinitely postpone the party’s 19th Annual People’s Conference that was scheduled for Mashonaland Central Province in December to mitigate the spread of Covid-19.

Briefing the media after the 345th Session of the Politburo, Zanu PF acting secretary for Information and Publicity Cde Patrick Chinamasa said the conference had been postponed indefinitely to allow the Government, the party and people to contain the pandemic without undue disturbances.

Cde Chinamasa said the Politburo received a report from the Conference Coordinating Committee chaired by the party’s national chairperson Cde Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri on the state of preparedness of the party to hold the National People’s Conference.

“However in line with Covid-19 Level 2 restrictions currently obtaining, the Politburo resolved that having done well to contain the Covid-19 disaster as compared to other countries, the party must not get carried away. In times of national emergencies such as Covid-19, the priority of the party should be to protect the lives of our people and the security of our nation,” said Cde Chinamasa.

He said the Politburo deliberated on various options available on holding the conference with suggestions on either, holding it virtually or postponing it indefinitely and hold it when the situation normalises.

“After lively, honest and frank deliberations, the Politburo took the decision to postpone the Annual People’s Conference indefinitely, to allow the Government, party and the people to contain the Covid-19 pandemic without undue disturbances.”

The conference, Cde Chinamasa said, would be held when the situation normalises and whenever that happens, Mashonaland Central Province would still host it.

“At this moment we decided that we must comply with the Covid-19 regulations restrictions so that we do not jeopardise or risk the lives of our population,’’ said Cde Chinamasa.

Turning to the disciplinary hearings update from the National Disciplinary Committee chaired by Cde Muchinguri-Kashiri, Cde Chinamasa said the Politburo received updates on disciplinary hearings that took place on various cases of members of the party.

In the case of former Zanu PF deputy secretary for Youth Affairs Cde Chipanga Kudzanai from Manicaland, Cde Chinamasa said the Politburo turned down his application for readmission.

“Cde Chipanga applied to rejoin the party following his expulsion in 2017. The Party felt it was too early to readmit him following the gravity of the offences he had committed against the party and leadership during the G40 era. As such, his application was turned down,” he said.

On the case of former Zanu PF vice chairman for Mashonaland West Province who is also Chegutu West legislator Cde Dexter Nduna, Cde Chinamasa said the Mashonaland West Provincial Coordinating Committee (PCC) recommended the suspension of Cde Nduna from holding a position in the party for a year.

Cde Chinamasa said Cde Nduna however remains a card-carrying member and the Politburo endorsed the recommendation from Mashonaland West Province.

The Politburo’s decision comes after the Zanu PF Mashonaland West provincial disciplinary committee recommended his suspension for five years over a number of allegations, including dishonesty and fanning divisions in the party.

The legislator is alleged to have defied the party directive to hold primary elections for Ward 2 Chegutu urban, inciting and instigating violence during the primary elections by organising mobs to disturb the smooth running of elections and deliberately submitting a wrong name as a sole candidate for the party in the ward.

Cde Nduna was also charged with dividing the party by misrepresenting facts of the rightful candidates to the first 2020 executive meeting, disloyalty, dishonesty and bringing the name of the party into disrepute.

On the matter regarding Cde Aplonia Munzverengwi from Mashonaland East, Cde Chinamamasa said the Politburo endorsed the Mashonaland East Women’s League’s decision to redeploy her to the position of Deputy Secretary for Lands of the Women’s League.

She was the Zanu PF Women’s league secretary for Commissariat. Cde Chinamasa said in the case of former Matabeleland North former Youth chairman, Tamuka Nyoni, the Politburo endorsed the decision of the National Disciplinary Committee to rescind his expulsion to a suspension for five years without holding a position while remaining a card-carrying member.

Cde Nyoni was suspended on allegations of misconduct after he reportedly received money from pressure group Tajamuka/Sesjikile to organise foiled July 31 protests.

On the case of Makhosini Hlongwane and Tapiwa Matangaidze from Midlands Province, who applied for readmission into the party, Cde Chinamasa said the Politburo referred the matter to the PCC Midlands Province to look into the issue before it is deliberated at higher level. The matter, he said, was not procedurally brought to the NDC.

Civil servants, the party said, were not allowed to participate in party elections.

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