By A Correspondent- Factional fights rocking Zanu-PF’s Mashonaland West province have escalated, with chairperson Mary Mliswa-Chikoka being accused of illegally dissolving district structures to disempower rival Kindness Paradza.
Her actions, which have been noted in a letter sent to her office and copied to national political commissar Mike Bimha by Chegutu district’s executive, highlight heightened infighting for positions in the lower rungs of the party.
Zanu-PF district executives constitute the electoral college in voting for provincial executive committees (PEC).
Mliswa-Chikoka, who doubles as provincial affairs minister, and deputy information minister Paradza, squared off in the race for provincial chairperson, in polls that were marred by allegations of rigging.
“We, the undersigned Zanu-PF party leadership from Chegutu District, do hereby write to seek clarification on why Mashonaland West PEC has made a decision to dissolve properly elected and properly constituted party districts in Chegutu Urban,” reads the letter, dated June 13, 2022.
“The four districts affected are; Dzikamidzi, Umvovo, Kaguvi 1 and Kaguvi 2. Party leadership in Chegutu was surprised by the announcement you made to dissolve the districts at an inter-district meeting held in Chegutu.”
The said meeting was held on June 12.
The letter adds: “That decision was made without consultation with the local Chegutu leadership. Chairman, you will recall that the party districts you want to dissolve were elected during the national restructuring exercise supervised by the national Commissariat Department in 2021.”
Zanu-PF Chegutu urban members feel Mliswa-Chikoka is propping Chegutu West legislator, Dexter Nduna, who is eyeing a party central committee position.
They claimed party meetings have turned violent, as senior members are unleashing “mobsters” on their detractors.
“People who organise these mobsters are known, but the province takes no action to protect ordinary party members,” it noted.
Mliswa-Chikoka and her allies stand accused of having misplaced priorities and “fomenting chaos and disharmony among party structures” in the wake of a Citizens’ Coalition for Change (CCC) scheduled rally this weekend.
“If we are not careful, the way the province is managing party affairs generally will affect the party’s performance in next year’s general elections,” said the disgruntled Zanu-PF officials.
Last week, Zanu-PF Youth League provincial chairman, Tapiwa Masenda, allegedly loyal to Paradza, had his executive reshuffled, with Mliswa-Chikoka loyalists imposed to take up influential posts in order to dilute his authority.
Timothy Masviba was imposed as vice chairman, replacing Kudzai Mudekunye, while Mutsa Ziyambi, son to Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi, was nominated for secretary post, taking over from Rudo Munyonga.
Thomas Chidzomba and one Karonga replaced Irvine Matanga and Ertybty Mubaiwa as treasurer and commissar, respectively.-NewZim