Zanu-PF Midlands province has climbed down and nullified all hearings, suspensions and prohibition orders issued to several members accused of de-campaigning the party’s candidates ahead of the August 23 and 24 elections.
There were reports of a bhora musango plot in President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s backyard where disgruntled members were accused of sabotaging the party’s candidates.
The reports saw the Midlands executive suspending Mnangagwa’s ally and former Gokwe-Nembudziya legislator Justice Mayor Wadyajena and many provincial executive members on the same charges.
The hearings for the suspended members were scheduled to be conducted yesterday but were cancelled at the last minute after party spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa called the leadership to order.
According to a notice written by acting provincial chairperson Edson Chiherenge issued on Tuesday, the hearings and prohibition orders were no longer valid.
The notice was addressed to all district co-ordinating committee (DCC) chairpersons and senior provincial members.
“Please be advised that the acting Midlands provincial chairman has ordered the nullification of all disciplinary processes within the Midlands province,” part of the notice read.
“All notices of hearings and prohibition orders issued out are no longer valid.”
In a memo to DCC and senior provincial members on Monday, Chiherenge insisted that the hearings would proceed.
“In that regard, all members of the party who were summoned to appear before the Midlands provincial disciplinary committee are directed to report at the Zanu-PF provincial offices on (Wednesday) December 6, 2023,” he wrote.
Wadyajena, who lost to Flora Buka during the primaries, was accused of sabotaging her campaign rallies.
Several party members who lost in the primaries faced the same fate amid indications that as many as 360 members faced the chop.
On Monday, Mutsvangwa reminded party members of a politburo directive stopping arbitrary suspension of party members.
Mutsvangwa made the order after Midlands and Harare provinces had embarked on an exercise to purge members who worked against the provincial leadership.
Harare provincial chairperson Godwills Masimirembwa, who is under fire for failing to mobilise support for the party in the August 23 and 24 polls, was axing provincial and district members on spurious allegations.
Source Byo24news