ZANU-PF’S restructuring in the troublesome provinces of Harare and Bulawayo is happening in fits and starts, with party political commissar Victor Matemadanda expressing concern about the threat posed by powerful land barons who want to take up leadership positions.
Although the ruling party, which is not popular in urban areas, has set up district coordinating committees (DCCs), it is struggling to come up with provincial coordinating structures in the crucial provinces.
Insiders told the Daily News on Sunday there is no appetite from Zanu-PF heavyweights in Harare province to seek the powerful chairperson’s post as the economy continues to bite urbanites.
According to sources, minister of State for Harare province Oliver Chidawu is now the firm favourite to land the post although he is likely to face a stiff challenge from former Zanu-PF politburo member Tendai Savanhu.
In Harare, the chaotic DCC elections saw Ephraim Fundira, Goodwell Mafuratidze, former Harare provincial chairperson Godwills Masimirembwa, former youth league boss Godwin Gomwe, George Chimhini and Kudakwashe Damson being elected leaders of the six zones, while in Bulawayo Paul Mutara and Raymond Mutomba were elected leaders of the two zones.
Although President Emmerson Mnangagwa last year set up two teams led by his deputies, Kembo Mohadi and Constantino Chiwenga, to deal with the scourge of factionalism that has affected the two provinces, to date there has been little progress on the ground.
In an interview, Matemadanda said the ruling party was yet to complete the restructuring programme because there were some loose ends that had to be tied up.
“We are yet to go to other provinces because we still have Harare and Bulawayo. At the moment, as the political commissar, I’m yet to get any further instructions to proceed, but hopefully we will soon be able to move to other provinces,” said Matemadanda.
Asked how land barons have affected the ruling party restructuring exercise, Matemadanda said: “Issues of abuse of land are being handled by the ministry of Local Government, those are the people responsible for land and which deals with land barons, I’m not like the former commissar (Saviour Kasukuwere) who gave people land during rallies,” said Matemadanda.
Harare and Bulawayo provinces have not had substantive PCCs since Mnangagwa came to power through a coup last year amid serious factional fights that prompted Matemadanda to warn warring parties that he would not hesitate to kick them out of the party.
-Daily News