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Kudakwashe Mugari and Joseph Madzimure

All card-carrying Zanu-PF members in Harare will be eligible to vote for members of the proposed District Coordinating Committees, whose prospective candidates will be vetted today after the submission of CVs was done over the weekend.

The party’s national political commissar, Cde Victor Matemadanda, said yesterday that the excercise will then be taken to the other provinces after Harare.

He said the card-carrying members would form the electoral college for the DCCs.

“As you are aware, the Harare provincial structures have been dissolved, so we are starting from the DCC as the basis of setting up the party structures,” said Cde Matemadanda.

“Every card carrying member is expected to play a part in the formation of the DCC. It is now time for everyone, even church members and professionals to be involved in setting up party structures.”

Cde Matemadanda warned some of the party’s senior members who are trying to influence the outcome of the DCC elections and those jostling for positions that they risked being expelled from the party.

The Zanu-PF Politburo last week appointed a five-member team of senior ofificals led by national chairperson Cde Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri to oversee the re-establishment of the DCCs in Harare, as the ruling party intensifies preparations for the 2023 harmonised elections.

Other members of the team who started work last week are Secretary for Administration Dr Obert Mpofu, Cde Matemadanda, Secretary for Finance and Economic Development Cde Patrick Chinamasa and Secretary for Security Cde Lovemore Matuke.

The party then divided Harare into six zones that will each be led by a provincial chairman from the party’s other provinces, who will all report to the team of senior officials.

Restructuring in Zone 1 is being co-ordinated by Mashonaland Central chairman Cde Kazembe Kazembe, while that for Zone 2 is led by Cde Ziyambi Ziyambi, chairman for Mashonaland West.

Zone 3 is led by Cde Joel Biggie Matiza, chairman for Mashonaland East, Zone 4 by Masvingo chairman Cde Ezra Chadzamira, Zone 5 is being jointly led by Matabeleland North chair Cde Richard Moyo and Manicaland chair Cde Mike Madiro, while Zone 6 is jointly led by Midlands chairman Cde Daniel Mackenzie Ncube and Matabeleland South chair Cde Rabelani Choeni.

“We expect all those who want to contest for positions to submit their CVs by today (yesterday) with their respective zones,” said Cde Matemadanda. “The Politburo last week resolved that the DCC elections programme will end on Sunday, October 13.”

Zanu-PF is starting from the DCCs as the basis of setting up the party structures in Harare and Bulawayo since the provincial structures were dissolved earlier this year by President Mnangagwa after reports of factionalism and divisions rocked the restructuring process.

DCCs were disbanded in 2012 after it was felt that they had been hijacked by elements that sought to manipulate party structures to foment factionalism and disharmony in the party.

Cde Matemadanda warned members to stop interfering with the formation of the DCCs.

“We have heard reports of very senior party members who are having overnight meetings in Mbare Zone 6 on the basis of fomenting factionalism,” he said. “There is a member who wants to contest for the provincial chairwoman post, so she is conducting overnight meetings to influence the structures. We are aware of that.

“The New Dispensation will not tolerate acts of factionalism in its structures. Senior party members in Harare have no role to play in the setting up of DCC structures. Our team will only be officially assisted by party provinces.

“We are going to recommend to the President that he takes drastic action against such members. They risk being expelled from the party. How can someone try to influence the direction of the DCCs’ outcome?”