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Zanu-PF members demonstrate in this file photo

Nduduzo Tshuma Senior Political Reporter
ZANU-PF has suspended five of its members for allegedly taking part in demonstrations in Hwange district during an accreditation exercise in the run up to the 6th National People’s Congress last month.

The suspensions were announced by Zanu-PF Matabeleland North provincial chairman, Cde Richard Moyo, during a Provincial Coordinating Committee meeting in Lupane on Saturday.

He said Cdes Hardman Mabanda, district deputy commissar Cde George Chipere, Cde Rambanai Moyo, Sithembiso Mabhena, the deputy chairperson of the women’s league and former provincial deputy chairperson Cde Reeds Dubethe had been suspended by their district and the Provincial Executive Council (PEC) had ratified the decision.

“We want the media to be clear that these suspensions weren’t done by the province but by the members’ district. They reported to us that the five had been suspended pending a hearing,” said Cde Moyo.

He castigated senior leaders that sponsored the group saying while politburo members like Cde Obert Mpofu and Professor Jonathan Moyo were raising money for last December’s congress, some cadres were sponsoring elements to cause chaos in the party.

Cde Moyo said central committee member Cde Fati Mpofu and politburo member Cde Jacob Mudenda had been fingered as sponsors of the five.

The Hwange demonstration was used as the basis to remove Cdes Mudenda and Mpofu from the Central Committee list before the congress. Cde Fati Mpofu was at the weekend meeting accused of accrediting party members for the congress outside the provincial processes.

While Cde Fati Mpofu acknowledged having assisted two officials whom he said had been left out by the accrediting team, the chairperson of the accreditation and documentation committee for the congress, Cde Sikhanyisiwe Mpofu, said about 15 members were accredited.

She said Cde Fati Mpofu instructed drivers to accommodate the officials smuggled to congress, who later caused problems as they had no accommodation.

“They were accredited as service providers yet we had already accredited drivers for parliamentarians and central committee members. Let him (Fati Mpofu) explain why he brought those people without consulting me,” said Cde Sikhanyisiwe Mpofu.

Cde Fati Mpofu insisted that he assisted a Cde Nickson Nyoni and another female party member as they hadn’t been accredited in Hwange. He said he wasn’t aware of any other people he was accused of having assisted to get accredited in Harare.

Cde Moyo blasted some leaders, particularly from Hwange, for causing problems in the province.

“Let’s be straightforward. When we went to the conference in Chinhoyi, we had problems from Hwange. At the last Congress we also had problems from Hwange, we’re asking that we stick to the people that we’d have agreed on as a province,” he said.

“We’ve asked the security to establish how those people were accredited because we understand it was done at night. After that we’ll deal with the culprits.”

Meanwhile, Cde Moyo said they were happy to welcome back former MDC Senator Believe Gaule who applied for re-admission into the party last December.