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Cde Mutsvangwa

Cletus Mushanawani in Mutare
Chaos reigned supreme during a Zanu-PF special co-ordinating committee meeting held in Mutare yesterday, with a Cabinet minister’s aide manhandling an executive member of the youth committee as tempers flared.

The contentious issue was the vote of no confidence that was recently passed on Manicaland provincial Women’s League chairperson, Cde Happiness Nyakuedzwa, which was later reversed by some members of the same league.

Although the issue was not on the agenda, it was brought up by a section of the Women’s League.

Cde Nyakuedzwa was accused of disrespecting and undermining national Women’s League chairperson, First Lady Amai Grace Mugabe during her rally held at Mutambara Mission last month.

The acting chairman, Dr Samuel Undenge, announced that the issue would be deliberated on under any other business, but some of those in attendance could have none of it and harsh words were traded, resulting in the most senior member in the Politburo present, Cde Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri, intervening.

Normalcy was temporarily returned, but trouble broke out when the national spokesperson for the Women’s League, Cde Monica Mutsvangwa, brought up the issue again.

Cde Mutsvangwa drew the ire of some Youth League members when she said the National secretary for Commissariat, Cde Saviour Kasukuwere, should not have interfered in the matter since it was a women’s issue.

Cde Kasukuwere wrote to the provincial leadership acknowledging receipt of the petition of the vote of no confidence passed on Cde Nyakuedzwa and said the issue would be deliberated on.

Some youth members interjected saying Cde Mutsvangwa should respect the party’s leadership and not undermine the authority and office of Cde Kasukuwere.

As tempers reached boiling point, Minister of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development’s aide, David Sanganza, charged at youth executive member Cde Kudzai Madara and manhandled him.

It was a free-for-all situation as rival members intervened.

The meeting was temporarily halted and police had to move in to quell the disturbances to allow the meeting to continue.

Cde Madara later made an assault report at Mutare Central Police Station.

Deputy national youth secretary Cde Kudzai Chipanga, who addressed the meeting, said ministers’ aide should stick to their mandate of protecting the VIPs and not to disrupt meetings.

“Ministers’ aides are there to provide security to the VIPs and not to cause chaos. As youths we will not tolerate their intervening in matters outside their mandate. There was no danger or threat on his boss, Dr Made and we wonder how Sanganza charged at Cde Madara. This was a personal attack on our member and we will not allow that.

“Sanganza is not a senior party or Government official, so who is he to behave in the way he did?” he said.

Cde Chipanga urged senior party members to be exemplary in their conduct.

“Cde Mutsvangwa caused all this chaos. She dismissed a letter from Cde Kasukuwere acknowledging receipt of the petition from the Women’s League on the vote of no confidence passed on Cde Nyakuedzwa. It is Cde Kasukuwere’s duty as the political commissar to handle these issues.

“What irked us was Cde Mutsvangwa’s utterances when she said: ‘Who is Kasukuwere?’ It is common knowledge that Cde Kasukuwere is the national political commissar and a Politburo member. All organs fall under the main wing.

“If party leaders want our respect, they should be exemplary. If they want to be recognised as leaders, they should be ready to be led,” said Cde Chipanga.

In an interview, Cde Mutsvangwa said she never undermined Cde Kasukuwere’s authority, but insisted that the Women’s League political commissar, Cde Mabel Chinomona, was the right person to tackle the issue of Cde Nyakuedzwa’s vote of no confidence.

“I never undermined Cde Kasukuwere. The vote of no confidence issue should have been tackled by our Women’s League political commissar. Zanu-PF has properly laid-down structures and they should be followed.

“As the national Women’s League executive we have never received a report on the issue of the vote of no confidence on Cde Nyakuedzwa.

“We are not protecting her. If she has a case to answer then proper procedures should be followed.

“All those saying I undermined Cde Kasukuwere have an agenda of causing disunity in the party,” she said.

Dr Undenge said the issue of Cde Nyakuedzwa’s vote of no confidence was now beyond his jurisdiction and would stand guided by what his seniors said.

“The buck on these issues stops with the national political commissar,” said Dr Undenge.

Cde Muchinguri-Kashiri called for unity among party members.

“We should not allow ourselves to be used in these political games. We want a united Manicaland where people follow properly laid-down structures,” she said.

The meeting was also attended by Politburo members among them Cdes Patrick Chinamasa and Chris Mushohwe.