ZANU-PF members in Matabeleland North Province have been warned against electioneering and jostling for positions in the party but should instead wait for direction from the party leadership on the formula to follow in terms of nominations.
Speaking during a Provincial Coordinating Committee (PCC) meeting in Lupane yesterday, Zanu-PF Politburo member and Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development, Dr Obert Mpofu said party cadres should set aside any deliberations on nominations for positions and instead wait for guidance from the party leadership.
He said any premature deliberations were prone to cause divisions within the party ranks as there will be a lot of jostling which could weaken the party.
“This is exactly what we do not want. Let’s wait for guidelines from the party leadership on this issue of nominating members into certain positions. If we start deliberating on this matter we will start causing confusion within the party. Before long we will have everyone now being a Central Committee member.
“I must warn you all that if there is chaos within the party then there comes a lot of misinformation and that very misinformation goes on to destroy the party, which is what we do not want at all. Let’s simply wait for direction from the leadership and as soon as the circular is distributed in the provinces, that is when we can discuss the matter as a unit,” said Dr Mpofu.
The party’s provincial secretary for administration, Cde Clifford Sibanda further buttressed that point, noting that the party’s National Commissar, Cde Webster Shamu had sent a circular to all provinces warning them not to deliberate on the matter.
“The leadership has made it clear that they have not as yet deliberated or set guidelines for the positions in the central committee, so there must be no electioneering whatsoever. Further, the party has warned everyone from issuing any unsanctioned statements. Only the party’s spokesperson, Cde Rugare Gumbo, has the duty to talk to the media, no one else,” said Cde Sibanda.
Meanwhile, the provincial chairperson, Cde Richard Moyo, called on party members to work together to further the party’s goals and ensure that they continue with their growth ahead of the 2018 elections.
“My only worry is that as a province it seems the national leadership has forgotten us because right now we are the only province where the provincial chairperson, youth wing chairperson or women’s wing chairperson do not have any vehicles so that we can go around the province monitoring activities.
“As it stands, we cannot function at all. If you see the car I am using right now, it is just too battered; which is really worrying by all means because I believe we all stand at par. My call is for the Politburo members in the province to please go and further our cause and ensure that Matabeleland North is also treated as a province,” said Cde Moyo.
The Speaker of Parliament, Cde Jacob Mudenda, who also attended the meeting, implored the province to convene a special meeting to discuss capital projects and development.
“We are talking of housing projects, the Lupane State University (LSU) and various major projects. There are Cabinet Ministers in charge of these projects hence we must call them to answer a lot of questions that we have like which companies were contracted to do these projects and are they from this province at all.
“There is further an unfortunate vacuum in our legislation where the Ministers of State for Provincial Affairs and the provincial councils are not linked at all. We now have to pressurise Dr (Ignatius) Chombo (Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing), to ensure that this legislation is passed as I believe this will ease the pressure on the implementation of major provincial projects,” said Cde Mudenda.
The meeting came at a time when there is jostling for the party’s vice presidency.
Zanu-PF national chairman Cde Simon Khaya Moyo is considered a front runner in the race to replace Vice President Landa John Nkomo who died in January last year.
Other senior politicians who have expressed interest in the post include Politburo members Cdes Kembo Mohadi and Naison Khutshwekhaya Ndlovu.
Former Ambassador to South Africa Cde Phelekezela Mphoko has also expressed interest in the position.