THE Zanu-PF leadership in various provinces yesterday joined calls for the elevation of Grace Mugabe to be one of the party’s two Vice Presidents.
According to State media the provinces also recommended the expulsion of Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa and several party members for undermining President Mugabe’s authority.
President Mugabe has since fired Mnangagwa as his deputy in Government.
In Masvingo, the provincial co-ordinating committee recommended the expulsion of national secretary for production and labour Cde Josaya Hungwe, deputy secretary for legal affairs Paul Mangwana, deputy secretary for security Lovemore Matuke and Central Committee member Clemence Makwarimba.
The meeting also called for the ouster of the Zanu-PF provincial chairman Ezra Chadzamira for leading the onslaught to undermine President Mugabe in the province.
The party in Masvingo also passed a resolution urging President Mugabe to elevate Grace Mugabe — who is is also the Zanu-PF secretary for Women’s Affairs — as one of the party’s two Vice Presidents.
The meeting was attended by deputy secretary for transport and welfare in the Politburo Dr Daniel Shumba, Central Committee member and Foreign Affairs Minister Dr Walter Mzembi, Masvingo Provincial Affairs Minister and provincial vice chairman Dr Paul Chimedza, acting Zanu-PF provincial chairman Cde Amasa Nhenjana and political commissar Jappy Jaboon among others.
The PCC meeting also resolved to issue a prohibition order to 24 members of the Zanu-PF Masvingo provincial executive for being part of a cabal from Masvingo that was working to undermine the President.
Mzembi hailed the Zanu-PF Masvingo PCC for coming out with the two resolutions.
Dr Chimedza paid tribute to the ruling party in Masvingo for taking the bull by its horns by confronting individuals who were causing problems in the province.
Manicaland PCC also resolved to have Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa recalled from his post and the Grace Mugabe taking over.
The resolution was passed during a provincial executive committee and endorsed by a special extra-ordinary meeting held at Mutare Polytechnic a few hours later.
Tempers flared in both meetings after the province recommended the expulsion of 38 members allegedly linked to Mnangagwa’s faction, among them three Politburo members.
The three are Oppah Muchinguri, Patrick Chinamasa and Chris Mushohwe.
Other notable members who were recommended for expulsion include Cdes Mike Madiro, Joshua Sacco, Moses Gutu, Winnie Mlambo, Joseph Mujati, Christopher Chingosho, Alice Chitima, Oliver Mandipaka, Gorden Chikwanda, Timothy Mapungwana, Monica Mutsvangwa, Ellen Gwaradzimba, Tasin Dube, Hubert Nyanhongo and Judith Mawire.
The first one to be ejected from the meeting was Mujati while Mike Madiro, Moses Gutu and Alice Chitima immediately left the PCC meeting when their names were called out.
Zanu-PF national secretary for youth affairs, Kudzi Chipanga, who arrived before the end of the meeting, said they were in agreement with the provincial executive’s resolution to have Mnangagwa fired from the party.
“We have one-centre of power in Zanu-PF in President Mugabe. President Mugabe said anyone against the one-centre of power is free to leave. Those against that should form their own parties and we will meet you during the 2018 harmonised elections. We are also fully behind the Women’s League’s resolution to have a female Vice-President. We want a person who works well with President Mugabe, someone who is acceptable from Zambezi to Limpopo. That person who is most suitable for that position is Grace Mugabe,” he said to wild applauses from the members.
Zanu-PF Women’s League national secretary for administration, Letina Undenge, said they had unanimously agreed that Grace Mugabe should be elevated to be Vice-President. “With Amai Mugabe coming in as Vice-President, things will improve for the better because she is a hands-on person,” said Undenge.
Minister of Women Affairs, Gender and Community Development Nyasha Chikwinya also added her voice and said: “Women must support each other. We want the elevation of women to higher posts and we will support that. The only candidate suitable for the Vice-President’s office is Dr Amai Mugabe”.
Acting Zanu-PF youth chairperson, Betty Dhliwayo said: “Mnangagwa should be expelled for fanning factionalism. All those fingered to be part of his faction should not be allowed to contest for positions in the forthcoming Central Committee elections.”
Zanu-PF Mashonaland West provincial executive council recommended the expulsion of Cde Mnangagwa from the party for fanning factionalism.
The PEC recommended the expulsion of Politburo member Prisca Mupfumira and Zvimba West National Assembly member Ziyambi Ziyambi.
Treasurer Farai Charakatenda read the recommendations of the PEC to the provincial coordinating committee meeting.
“The Mashonaland West provincial executive council recommends that Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa be expelled from the party. The proposal was made by provincial youth chairman Tawanda Rupiya and and seconded by Nobert Kazembe,” said Charakatenda.
“There were two other names which were mentioned including Prisca Mupfumira and Ziyambi Ziyambi. The proposal was made by Godfrey Gandawa and seconded by Nobert Kazembe”.
Ziyambi however, argued that charges he was facing and the relevant sections in the party constitution were not spelt out.
Provincial chairman, Cde Ephraim Chengeta, said recent events across the country have laid a heavy burden on President Mugabe and First Lady. “There are challenges in the party which are known by everyone including you, the leadership. It is in the newspapers and on television,” he said.
“These are being caused by us the leadership resulting in a heavy burden on our leader President Mugabe and the First Lady Dr Mugabe. We move together with the President as Mash West. We follow the instructions of Dr Mugabe.”
He said Mashonaland West province stands by President Mugabe as one centre of power and Dr Mugabe.
The President, he said, has been resolute in defending positions that empower indigenous people no matter how unpopular they make him. The meeting was attended by Politburo members Dr Douglas Mombeshora and Cde Patrick Zhuwao, Central Committee members Dr Philip Chiyangwa and Webster Shamu, provincial members among others.
The Mashonaland East PCC also made a resolution for the dismissal of Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa accusing him of undermining the President by fanning factionalism.
The resolution was announced in an emergency provincial coordinating committee meeting at the provincial party office.
The PCC also recommended that Joel Biggie Matiza and Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Marbel Chinomona be fired for fanning factionalism in the province.
Addressing the PCC meeting after the PEC meeting, provincial chairperson Benard Makokove said the PEC was also going to investigate 12 members who are also accused of being VP Mnangagwa’s allies.
“We resolved that the VP should be expelled from the party and are going to remove all Lacoste elements within the party. The province has also resolved to expel Joel Matiza and Mabel Chinomona,”said Makokova.
Some of the dignitaries that attended the meeting included Defence Minister Dr Sydney Sekeramayi, Health and Child Care Minister Dr David Parirenyatwa, Minister of State for Mashonaland East Provincial Affairs Rtd Brig-Gen Ambrose Mutinhiri and Industry and Commerce Minister Dr Mike Bimha.
Mashonaland Central and Bulawayo have since made calls for the expulsion of Mnangagwa from the party and the elevation of the First Lady as one of the two vice presidents.
