Own Correspondent|Zanu-PF has turned down an application by former Minister of State for Masvingo Provincial Affairs and Gutu South legislator Dr Paul Chimedza to rejoin the party following his expulsion in December 2017.

Dr Chimedza, who is also an ex-Deputy Minister of Health and Child Care, was expelled from the party in November 2017 during the coup to remove former President Robert Mugabe.

Dr Chimedza, who became the shortest-serving Masvingo Provincial Affairs Minister after being elbowed out of office barely a month after his appointment, recently applied to the ruling party provincial leadership seeking re-admission.

The ZANU PF Masvingo provincial spokesperson Ronald Ndaba yesterday said Dr Chimedza would remain in the shadows for a while after his application to rejoin Zanu-PF was rejected.

“Dr Chimedza applied to the Zanu-PF Masvingo leadership for re-admission and we recommended to the National Disciplinary Committee (NDC) that his re-admission into the party be stayed in the meantime while we continue to take a close look at him and his activities,” he said.

“So, for now he (Dr Chimedza) will remain on the sidelines because the NDC upheld our recommendation.”