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Joyce Mujuru

Harare Bureau
Zanu-PF youths in Mt Darwin West parliamentary constituency have disowned former Vice President Cde Joice Mujuru and appealed to the party’s leadership to advise Parliament to immediately call for a by-election to replace her as she has failed to represent their interests.

The youths disclosed this after the burial of Cde Enias Changachirere, a prominent community leader in Mt Darwin West last week.
Cde Mujuru had ceased to be legislator for Mt Darwin West according to the law.

Section 129 (1) (c) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No. 20) Act of 2013 that deals with the tenure of seat of a Member of Parliament, stipulates that, “the seat of a Member of Parliament shall become vacant upon the Member becoming President or Vice-President.’’

This means Cde Mujuru was for the past 15 months going to Parliament as Vice-President, not as Member of Parliament since Vice-Presidents are not MPs.

In separate interviews, provincial and district youth representatives said recent exposé of Cde Mujuru’s misdemeanours  had rendered it impractical for her to continue representing the constituency.

Provincial youth secretary for indigenisation Cde Caleb Kariba said youths in Mt Darwin West were fed up with Cde Mujuru whom he described as treacherous and unfit to continue holding public office.

“At first people were not sure but when President Mugabe and the provincial leadership highlighted the fact that Cde Mujuru was plotting to unseat President Mugabe, it became very difficult for anyone to identify with her. Besides, even at constituency level, she has failed to institute real development,” said Cde Kariba.

He said as the ward councillor for Pfuura District, he had written numerous letters to Cde Mujuru to assist in the setting up of a school as children walked 9km to the nearest school but she had not been helpful.

Cde Kariba said Cde Mujuru was challenged by Cde Kennedy Banda in the last parliamentary election who only pulled out at the last minute out of respect.

He said the act of challenging her clearly demonstrated that people were not happy with her performance as a legislator and time was already out for her.

Youth chairman for Marirangwe District in Mt Darwin West, Cde Mobile Kamucheka, said the youths had already briefed the leadership on the need to have a new legislator in the area.

“Her weaknesses now outweigh any good she may have done. People in this constituency are saying that she must go and for sure she’ll go. If an election is held today she won’t win because she has discredited herself as someone who can’t be trusted,” said Cde  Kamucheka.

The call by the youths comes in the wake of a meeting by the Zanu-PF Mashonaland Central co-ordinating committee, which recommended that nine MPs who were accused of working with former Vice President Mujuru be recalled.

Mashonaland Central Zanu-PF chairperson Cde Dickson Mafios said the nine were facing serious allegations of fanning factionalism and working together with Cde Mujuru to unseat President Mugabe.

The nine MPs to be recalled are Cdes Nicholas Goche (Shamva North), Walter Kanhanga (Guruve North), David Butau (Mbire), Chriswell Mutemasaka (Guruve South), Edgar Chidavaenzi (Mazowe North), Kenneth Musanhu (Bindura North), Christopher Chitindi (Muzarabani South), Elizabeth Shongedza and Alice Chimbudzi (Mashonaland Central Senator).