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Dr Chombo

Farirai Machivenyika Harare Bureau
THREE more by-elections for National Assembly seats loom following the expulsion of seven Zanu-PF officials by the party’s Politburo last week.The sacked officials were part of the Joice Mujuru-led cabal accused of plotting to topple President Robert Mugabe ahead of the watershed 6th National People’s Congress in December last year.

Of the seven officials who were expelled, three were National Assembly members. They are; Ray Kaukonde (Marondera Central), David Butau (Mbire) and Kudakwashe Bhasikiti (Mwenezi East).

Dzikamai Mavhaire and Olivia Muchena were senators for Masvingo and Mashonaland East respectively, elected under proportional representation.

Zanu-PF secretary for administration, Cde Ignatius Chombo yesterday said the ruling party would soon write to Parliament notifying it of the expulsion and recall of the parliamentarians who no longer represented the revolutionary party’s interests.

“We’ll be writing to Parliament soon to notify them of the expulsion of the MPs so that by-elections can be held to replace them,” he said.

The other two who were fired from the ruling party are former Central Committee members Claudius Makova and Kudakwashe Gope who will also be replaced when the time comes.

By-elections will be held for the National Assembly seats, while Zanu-PF will have to nominate two other cadres to replace Mavhaire and Muchena.

Apart from the seven, the Zanu-PF Politburo also suspended 13 other members for five years and one for three years.

Those who were suspended for five years are Cdes Tendai Savanhu, Munyaradzi Banda, Christopher Chigumba, Munacho Mutezo, Dougmore Chimukoko, Flora Bhuka, Jaison Machaya, Killian Gwanetsa, Tranos Huruba, Boniface Karoro, Nicholas Goche, Noah Mangondo and Amos Midzi, while Cde Chiratidzo Mabuwa was given a three-year suspension.

Zanu-PF national spokesperson, Ambassador Simon Khaya Moyo yesterday said the full list of all members suspended at last week’s Politburo meeting would be made available today.

Four by-elections have been held so far this year, while 16 others will be held on June 10.

The by-elections came about following the recall from parliament of 21 MDC-T legislators, 14 of them from the National Assembly, while two others were previously held by former Zanu-PF legislators Messrs, Temba Mliswa (Hurungwe West) and Didymus Mutasa (Headlands) who were also fired from the party for involvement in the cabal that wanted to unseat President Mugabe.

The MDC-T has forwarded a list of seven candidates to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission to replace those it sponsored under proportional representation.