THE tension among Zanu PF Midlands province bigwigs has reached fever pitch ahead of the party’s District Coordinating Committee (DCC) elections slated for December 5 and 6.
This comes amid fears the tussles are deepening factional fissures as Zanu PF bigwigs position their loyalists in the influential grassroots party organ.
Zim Morning Post understands that there is in-fighting between senior party officials namely national political commissar Victor Matemadanda, Foreign Affairs minister Sibusiso ‘SB’ Moyo and Local Government minister July Moyo with all parties angling themselves to be the ‘godfather’ of the gold rich province.
Impeccable sources said Moyo’s cronies are favourites backed by the the Local Government minister who enjoys wide support.
Matemadanda’s cronies are also in with a chance given Matemadanda’s role as party political commissar and war veteran boss.
SB Moyo comes in as an underdog but he is said to be building his support base through the help of Young Turks.
“The tension is so high that you can cut it with a knife,” said a Zanu PF insider.
“Moyo (July) is the man of the people since he has been at the helm for a long time, but Matemadanda is also flexing his powers as the fifth most senior member in the party hierarchy.”
“SB Moyo is seen as the next big thing by the youths because of his charisma and he connects well with the Young Turks who are mobilizing support for him,” the source added.
The instability in the province was further fuelled after Matemadanda reportedly influenced Gokwe Nembudziya constituency legislator Justice Mayor Wadyajena’s contender, in the divisive DCC elections, to withdraw from the race before the announcement of the final list.
This development paved way for Wadyadyena to become Gokwe North District DCC chairperson unopposed.
Some of the names which made it to the list include Tafanana Zhou who is eyeing the Mberengwa District chairperson’s post and Kandros Mugabe who is eyeing the Kwekwe District secretary for finance post.
The divisions saw the disqualification of perceived G-40 linked cadres like Gokwe Mapfungautsi legislator Tawanda Karikoga who was vying for the Gokwe South district chairmanship post.
He was disqualified on the basis that he has spent a long time outside the country.
Matemadanda also allegedly went on to arm-twist national deputy youth secretary Tendai Chirau to endorse his son Tafireyi for a top position in the provincial youth league structures, to consolidate his hegemony in the province.
Last week, Matemadanda claimed to have been poisoned and was briefly hospitalized amid speculation that it was an ‘inside job’ and no hand of the opposition was suspected.
Zanu-PF is conducting DCC elections in eight provinces, following the completion of the processes in the metropolitan provinces of Harare and Bulawayo.
DCC structures were disbanded in 2012 after the party felt that they were being used to foment division.
The ruling party’s First secretary President Emmerson Mnangagwa said the re-introduction of the DCCs must further consolidate party structures at grassroots level.
The vetting process was supervised by Chitepo School of Ideology principal Munyaradzi Machacha who urged party members to be wary of G40 elements, accused of pumping in money to manipulate the DCC elections.
“We must remain vigilant and guard against G40 elements who are throwing cash to manipulate the DCC elections. These elections must leave us in a stronger position that we are in as we work towards recruiting more members ahead of the 2023 elections,” he said.
Former president Robert Mugabe disbanded the DCC organ after the then Vice president Joice Mujuru complained that her rival Mnangagwa had strategically positioned his loyalists in the influential party organ. – Zim Morning Post
