Mugabe comes face to face with ‘rejected’ Central committee bigwigs
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Mugabe comes face to face with ‘rejected’ Central committee bigwigs

A showdown is looming on Wednesday when President Robert Mugabe comes face to face with the booted out Zanu PF bigwigs as he will convene a Central Committee meeting where he seeks the ratification of the constitutional amendments ahead of this week’s crucial supposedly elective congress.
Close to 50 Zanu PF bigwigs were booted out of the powerful central committee following fresh elections that were held last week to usher in a new leadership of the party.
Central committee elections are held once every five years together with elections of the new presidium. However following internecine factional fights which saw vice president Joice Mujuru battered and bashed in public by Mugabe’s wife Grace, being accused of plotting to topple Mugabe, all her sidekicks were either voted out or barred from contesting.
Under fire Vice President, Joice Mujuru is leading a host of Zanu PF bigwigs who have fallen by the wayside after losing in Central Committee elections held in various provinces.
Joining Mujuru are several cabinet ministers, among them Lazarus Dokora, Nicholas Goche, Cde Dzikamai Mavhaire, Walter Mzembi, Simbarashe Mumbengegwi, Flora Bhuka and Francis Nhema, who all lost their Central Committee membership.
In Mashonaland Central Province, Mujuru and Dokora had their CVs rejected by the Provincial Executive Council, which met in Bindura while Goche withdraw his nomination amid allegations that he was at the forefront of an assassination plot against Mugabe and for fanning factionalism.
Others who lost in the province are Alice Chimbudzi and Stefan Mukusha, with the former not submitting her CV. Angeline Masuku, Absolom Sikhosana, Sikhanyiso Ndlovu and Molly Mpofu have failed to make it into the Central Committee.
“It is unfortunate that Mugabe will need their support so that the amendments can be ratified,” said one central committee member.
“Caucuses were taking place during the weekend where it was agreed that the outgoing members need to be dissenting voices in their last Central Committee meeting,” the source said.
“They have nothing to lose because they are already out and this is their only opportunity to air their views and try to stall the amendments.”
booted out

Mugabe was given the sole powers to appoint members of the presidium: two vice presidents, chairperson and the secretary for administration after the party resolved that this was the only way to put to rest the internal strife that had haunted the party for so long.
Mujuru and justice minister Emmerson Mnangagwa have been locked in a bitter wrangle to control the provincial executives which used to play a crucial role in nominating members of the presidium.
Eight provincial chairpersons were purged following votes of no confidence in the people aligned to the Mujuru faction in an effort to thwart Mujuru’s ascendency at the congress.
Another central committee member, a Mnangagwa loyalist, said the amendments will sail through besides the influence the Mujuru faction may have.
“They are just a drop in an ocean. Central committee has 245 people so 50 of them cannot influence the final decision. In any case voting is done by raising hands so no one at this moment will want to be seen as going against the grain,’ he said.

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