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Cde Saviour Kasukuwere

MOVES by the ruling Zanu-PF party to reconcile its structures in the Midlands province are welcome and commendable as they will go a long way in ensuring that normalcy returns to the restive region in time for the 2018 general elections.

There has been unnecessary squabbling in the province resulting in heightening tensions between groups aligning themselves with different factions within Zanu-PF and the Midlands scenario has been exacerbated by the emergence of a cabal claiming to champion the interests of Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

This group has gone as far as creating a militia which goes by the moniker Al Shabaab, an unfortunate development as members of this rag- tag outfit are known to be a law unto themselves and have been used by certain provincial leaders to unleash violence on opponents.

The infighting in the Midlands has also seen some provincial leaders who are also Cabinet ministers being threatened and having votes of no confidence passed against them. This is regrettable and unfortunate.

We hold no brief for either of the groups fighting for control of the province but feel the chaos in the Midlands needs to come to an end for the good of the party. This is why we fully support the efforts of the national commissar Cde Saviour Kasukuwere to bring the warring parties together so that they smoke the peace pipe. A meeting was convened in Gweru on Thursday where Cde Joram Gumbo was appointed acting Midlands provincial chairperson for the next three months as the party works to restore unity in the province.

The indaba, presided over by Cde Kasukuwere, ordered provincial leaders to work together or face expulsion from the party. All suspended provincial members were reinstated to their previous positions prior to the passing of votes of no confidence. Cde Tapiwa Matangaidze, who was the acting provincial chairperson, reverted to his position as provincial secretary for administration, while Cde Daniel Mackenzie Ncube remains the deputy chairperson.

Cde Kasukuwere said the new structure had the Politburo’s blessings. “For the next three months, Cde Gumbo will lead the province on an interim basis. Then the other structures will remain as they were (before the suspension of chairman Cde Kizito Chivamba),” said Cde Kasukuwere.

He said after three months, they expected the province to have proper structures and work towards mass mobilisation as the party prepares for the 2018 elections. Cde Kasukuwere warned warring cadres against using the party to score personal goals. “Midlands is one of our key provinces and the party needs Midlands Province. Midlands should turn the volume down.

‘‘We should know that 2018 is not too far and we cannot afford to continue fanning chaos and divisions in the party. Midlands should resolve its issues internally,” he said.

Chairing his first meeting yesterday, Cde Gumbo who is also Transport and Infrastructure Development Minister, said he was not going to entertain rogue elements bent on causing mayhem in the province. He said those who defy the Politburo’s order to work together will be fired from the party.

Cde Gumbo invited Cdes Ncube and Matangaidze to the podium and encouraged them to start working together and implement party programmes. “I’m giving you seven days to iron out your differences or I will go to the Politburo and let it dissolve the province. All those small groups that you had formed should be destroyed with immediate effect. Let us unite. Maimwa mese doro Matangaidze na Mackenzie kare and I have the photo of you together, shake hands now and hug each other,” said Cde Gumbo as he threatened to resign from his new post if the provincial executive members fail to reunite .

We applaud the Midlands province for showing great maturity and unity of purpose in taking the first steps towards reconciliation. The province is crucial in the Zanu-PF scheme of things and cadres should realise that they collectively stand to lose if the party fragments and allows the opposition to seize ground in the region.

Factionalism is counterproductive particularly at this critical juncture when the MDC-T appears to be regrouping and waking up from its slumber. We urge Cde Gumbo to be firm in dealing with different groups in the province and we believe he has the capability and maturity required to handle them.

While detractors and the private media predicted fireworks at Thursday’s meeting in Gweru, cadres put them to shame by successfully holding their Provincial Coordinating Committee gathering which has sown the seeds of unity. All that is required now is for party members to find each other and realise the futility of bickering and fighting. They should keep their eyes firmly fixed on the ball because 2018 is just around the corner. We strongly urge them to dismantle their divisive cliques and coalesce around the leadership of President Robert Mugabe and no one else.