ZANU PF has vowed to take decisive action against indiscipline following disturbances that disrupted a Provincial Executive Committee meeting in Manicaland yesterday. Senior party officials said the chaotic scenes, which saw rival groups clashing and the meeting ending prematurely, will be thoroughly investigated.
In an interview with the media yesterday, Zanu PF Secretary for Security, Cde Lovemore Matuke, said the party will not tolerate disorder during official business and is awaiting a full report on the incident.
“Zanu PF will not tolerate such behaviour during party business. We are waiting to get a detailed report on what exactly happened,” said Cde Matuke.
Party spokesperson and Secretary for Information and Publicity, Ambassador Christopher Mutsvangwa, attributed the disturbances to detractors seeking to destabilise the party.
“Detractors have consistently regarded Manicaland as the soft underbelly of Zanu PF in their futile efforts to infiltrate the party of the permanent Zimbabwe revolution. There are elements that are mistimed and misaligned. The party leadership will not tolerate such behaviour,” he said.
Ambassador Mutsvangwa added that enemies of the party were resorting to dirty tactics in an attempt to derail developmental progress achieved by President Mnangagwa and the Second Republic.
“The writ of President Mnangagwa over the party is as strong as can be. His communion with the electorate is at an all-time high, shown by ongoing by-election victories. His global standing continues to rise. Those attempting to infiltrate Manicaland are making a terrible mistake. The President is ready to deal with misguided troublemakers,” he said.
The tension-filled meeting, held at the Rekayi Tangwena Government Complex in Mutare, was cut short by provincial chair Cde Tawanda Mukodza, who stormed out of the boardroom after heated exchanges over the state of the party report presented by the provincial political commissar, Cde Albert Nyakuedzwa.
Disagreements intensified when Buhera West legislator Cde Tafadzwa Mugwadi was instructed by Cde Mukodza to confine his contribution to the presented report. Cde Mugwadi resisted, prompting rival factions to clash verbally. Supporters from both sides interjected, banged desks and exchanged emotional confrontations, forcing the chair to abandon the meeting.
After Cde Mukodza left the room, a faction opposed to his leadership refused to disperse and instead nominated provincial secretary for administration, Cde Sam Matema, to take over the proceedings.
However, the situation further deteriorated when another group stormed into the boardroom, ordering members to leave, insisting the meeting had officially ended. The group climbed onto tables, banging furniture as they enforced their demand that the gathering be abandoned.
ZANU PF leadership says the disturbances will be investigated, with disciplinary measures expected against those found to have fueled the chaos.
