AT least 18 former Zanu-PF cadres lost their membership to the revolutionary party after they stood as independent candidates in the National Assembly and local authority elections in the just ended August 2023 harmonised elections.
This is contained in the Central Committee report that was tabled by President Mnangagwa before the just-ended 20th Zanu-PF Annual National People’s Conference and was adopted.
The party’s National Chairman and also chairperson of the ruling party’s National Disciplinary Committee Cde Oppah Muchunguri-Kashiri said the party had to invoke its constitution’s legal statutes on people who disregard its regulations.
“During the 2023 harmonised general elections some members contested as independent candidates in the national assembly and local authority categories. By so doing, the National Disciplinary Committee noted that the members had automatically expelled themselves from the party as stipulated in Article 3, Section 17 (2) as well as Article 550 (11) of the Party Constitution,” reads the report.
“Furthermore, the charged members who contested as independent candidates did not attend the conflict management meeting addressed by the National Chairman before nomination day. As reported earlier, the purpose of the meeting was to reconcile aggrieved members as to dissuade them from contesting as independent candidates. As such, this open defiance of our Zanu-PF Constitution, Rules and Regulations, Values and Ethos, should be met by an appropriate deterrent sanction. This deterrent measure will send a clear message to would-be offenders intending to contest as independent candidates to revisit their intentions.”
Some of those that have ceased to be Zanu-PF cadres after they stood as National Assembly independent candidates include Mr Thomas Munjoma (Mutare West), Zivanai Peter Musanhu (Mt Darwin West) Eunice Mangwende (Mrewa North) George Vhengere (Gutu East) Tafadzwa Shumba (Mwenezi West), Jeremiah Ndlukuwani (Gokwe Chireya) and Ms Siphathisiwe Mathema (Nkayi North).
The party’s legal department also reported that it was tasked to editorially clean up the party’s constitution presented and adopted at the 7th National People’s Congress held in October 2022.
New provisions included the establishment of diaspora structures, council of elders, Standing Committee of the Central Committee and codification of the party’s code of conduct and detailed disciplinary procedures.
In its report, the Education, Ideology and Research department expressed concern on how some teachers unions were pushing regime change agenda.
“The Department noted with concern the disturbing trend of how Teachers’ Unions and other civil society organisations have been roped in to push the Western-funded regime change agenda in the country by embassies hostile to our country.
“The illicit funding of these teachers unions has created a financial gulf between leaders and the people they represent as they have not been negotiating in good faith with the Government with the sole intention of destabilising the education sector. The Department started ideological training of teachers to counter this move,” reads the report.
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