THE Zanu-PF commissariat department led by former cabinet minister Mike Bimha has sought permission from the party to freeze impending district coordinating committee (DCC) elections amid fears that the current lower structures of cells and branches are still stuffed with remnants of the deposed G40 faction who might scuttle President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s third-term bid.
Recently, Zanu-PF secretary-general Obert Mpofu announced that preparations for holding the DCC elections had already begun, but Bimha in an interview with The NewsHawks said the programme had been frozen.
He said it has been noted that the current cells, branches and districts of the party are currently “not au[1]thentic”.
“There are no DCC elections preparations underway. We are in the process of consulting our structures on how best to establish authentic cells, branches and districts,” he said.
Asked whether Mpofu as secretary-general did not give the current position on DCC elections when he said preparations are underway, Bimha said a new position had been taken by the party.
“Yes, he was right in terms of the constitution but we have requested for a special dispensation. Any elections will only be held once we are convinced that we have authentic cells,” said Bimha.
The current office bearers of DCCs across the country were elected in 2020 and their terms expired last year according to the Zanu-PF constitution.
Currently there is therefore a vacuum in the DCC structures, hence the calls to have elections to fill the vacancies. There has been a push by some officials in Zanu-PF to reconstitute the DCCs which form a powerbase for top leadership.
In Zanu-PF, DCCs are a significant organ that falls below the provincial coordinating committees (PCCs) which, in turn, is behind the party’s national consultative assembly, central committee and politburo.
The members elected into DCCs are eligible to attend the party’s congress as delegates with voting rights, making them key in the dynamics of the party such as succession or choice of a presidential candidate.
In 2012, the late president Robert Mugabe announced a ban on the DCCs after factions in the race to succeed him pitting former Vice President Joice Mujuru on one hand and the current leader Emmerson Mnangagwa on the other had tried to manipulate the contests in fierce sectarian battles.
According to source there are fears that if the DCCs are reconstituted using the current cells, branches and districts structures, some remnants of the G40 who are opposed to Mnangagwa’s third-term bid might crop up.
“The issue of elections for the DCC is being treated as a very sensitive one. There is concern at the top level that there might be a need for an extraordinary congress to endorse Mnangagwa’s third-term bid and they want all structures who will support the idea.
“So if the DCC elections produce some remnants of G40 opposed to Mnangagwa, that push for his third term may face hurdles just like in 2012 when they produced people opposed to Mai [Joice] Mujuru in her race to succeed Mugabe,” said a source.
Source Bulawayo 24
