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zanu-pf Manicaland provincial chairman Cde Samuel Undenge addresses the media during a Press conference at zanu-pf Headquarters in Harare yesterday. — (Picture by Munyaradzi Chamalimba)

Fidelis Munyoro Chief Court Reporter
Zanu-PF provincial chairpersons and political commissars from the country’s 10 provinces have reaffirmed their support for President Mugabe and First Secretary as the revolutionary party’s sole Presidential candidate in the 2018 harmonised elections.

Manicaland provincial chairperson Cde Samuel Undenge, who spoke on behalf of the chairpersons, said the position was in line with resolutions made by the generality of party members at the 16th National People’s Conference held in Masvingo last month and the National People’s Congress in 2014.

Cde Undenge said this at a press conference convened by the party’s national political commissar Cde Saviour Kasukuwere, after a meeting with all the chairpersons and political commissars from the 10 provinces at the party’s headquarters.

They raised concern with some senior party leaders who were reportedly wining and dining with renegades expelled from the party and others who denigrated the President in public forums.

Recently, expelled Mashonaland West province chairperson Temba Mliswa was seen holding a series of meetings with top Zanu-PF officials.

Mliswa won the Norton by-election as an independent candidate last year, following his expulsion from the party in 2014.

The party chairpersons had no kind words for musician cum-businessman Energy Mutodi following his utterances in the media yesterday.

Mutodi was quoted in the DailyNews calling on the ruling party to hold an extraordinary congress to install President Mugabe’s successor.

“As the Zanu-PF leaders in the provinces, we wish to condemn in the strongest of terms, sentiments being expressed by some rogue and discredited elements such as one Energy Mutodi, who relentlessly continue to use the media to attack our party leader, Head of State and Government and commander-in-chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces,” said Cde Undenge.

He said Mutodi had no mandate to speak on behalf of Zanu-PF nor was he in the leadership structures of the party.

Cde Undenge warned Mutodi against denigrating President Mugabe.

“In the same vein, as provincial chairpersons and political commissars, we notice with concern the practice by some of our senior party leaders who are now and again seen in the company of some elements who were expelled from Zanu-PF for gross indiscipline,” he said.

“Party leaders should not be seen to be associating and entertaining people who were expelled from the party for indiscipline, which involved disrespect of the party leadership.”

Cde Undenge said as leaders in the provinces, they wanted all party leaders and party structures to refocus all efforts at uniting the party and prepare to win the election next year.

“No one should divert the party’s focus from this revolutionary goal.”