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Minister Kasukuwere

Felex Share Senior Reporter
The Zanu-PF national Commissariat today descends on Mashonaland East province to assess the state of the party ahead of by-elections in Hwedza North and Mudzi West. The visit comes after Zanu-PF secretary for the Commissariat Cde Saviour Kasukuwere, last week overturned a vote of no confidence passed on acting provincial chairperson Cde Aeneas Chigwedere.

The Mashonaland East Province interim executive committee ousted Cde Chigwedere on various charges including failure to convene meetings and making unilateral decisions. They had replaced him with Provincial Affairs Minister Cde Joel Biggie Matiza, who deputised Cde Chigwedere in the provincial party structure.

Cde Kasukuwere confirmed today’s meeting.

“Yes, I will be in Mashonaland East province. These are routine meetings we have in provinces to assess the party work,” he said.

“We also want to have an update on the progress made with regards to by-elections in Hwedza North and the other one in Mudzi West. We will meet the party leadership to see if everything is okay.”

The Hwedza North by-election will be held on May 15 to replace Zanu-PF’s Cde Simon Musanhu who died in January while the Mudzi West seat fell vacant following the death of Cde Acquillina Katsande last month.

Cde Kasukuwere described the ouster of Cde Chigwedere as null and void warning other provincial chairpersons against taking actions beyond their powers without reference to the national leadership.

He said all recommendations should be forwarded to the national leadership before inappropriate statements were issued to the media.

Cde Chigwedere was also accused of failing to introduce Cde Jonathan Samkange from Mudzi and Cde Tendai Garwe from Murehwa, who were recently re-admitted into the party.

The provincial interim executive committee also recommended the expulsion of five senior party members and five-year suspensions of 14 others.

The five senior members are Marondera National Assembly representative and former provincial chairperson Cde Ray Kaukonde, Uzumba legislator and former Minister of State for Mashonaland East Cde Simbaneuta Mudarikwa, Murehwa North MP Tendai Makunde, Mashonaland East senator Cde Olivia Muchena, who is also former Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology Development and Goromonzi South MP Petronella Kagonye, who is the former Deputy Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Development.