By A Correspondent- There were clashes in Nzvimbo at a ZANU PF-organised sports gala at the weekend when two senior party officials fought over regalia, amid reports of growing factionalism in Mashonaland Central province.

Central committee member John Nhamburo was offended after a member of the provincial committee, Justine Marufu, came to the function wearing regalia imprinted with the face of a politburo member Kenneth Musanhi. 
 
Nhamburo, who is the Zanu PF provincial chairperson and is seen as Home Affairs minister Kazembe Kazembe’s ally, gave Marufu marching orders. Nhamburo said:

I ordered Marufu to go and change his regalia because it showed that he was representing Musanhi instead of the President (Emmerson Mnangagwa).

When I gave Marufu the marching orders, he seemed to have understood and went on to change the T-shirt, but I was surprised that on Sunday at the (district coordinating committee) DCC executive meeting, I was grilled over the issue. These games are for President Mnangagwa, and whenever we conduct his programmes, we wear his regalia, not any other individual’s regalia.

There are more pronounced divisions amongst ZANU PF supporters in Mashonaland Central just ahead of provincial elections with some aligned to Kazembe while others back James Makamba.

A number of supporters are also backing businessman Tafadzwa Musarara.-newsday