Setback As Mliswa’s Central Committee Bid Blocked
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Setback As Mliswa’s Central Committee Bid Blocked

THE Zanu PF Mashonaland West provincial executive at the weekend blocked ousted chairman Temba Mliswa from seeking nomination into the party’s central committee at the December congress.

Mliswa had won the right to represent Hurungwe district but the provincial leadership said he could not represent the province as a central committee member following his suspension as party chairman last month.

Local Government Minister Ignatius Chombo, who is also the head of the congress coordinating committee in the province, said anyone who has been brought before the party’s disciplinary committee over the past five years could not be allowed to get into the central committee.

“For one to be in the central committee, he has to have served the party for a continuous 15 years, not charged by the party’s disciplinary committee in the last five years and have no criminal record,” he said.

The central committee is Zanu PF’s most powerful organ outside congress and consists of members drawn from the party’s 10 provinces.

It acts on behalf of congress when it is not in session and among other things implements all policies, resolutions, directives, decisions, and programmes enunciated by congress. It meets once in three months.

The Zanu PF provincial committee members and some senior politburo members held closed door meetings that lasted for more than six hours on Saturday amid allegations they were plotting how to block party officials aligned to Vice-President Joice Mujuru.

The meeting saw several members considered Mujuru allies winning nominations into the Zanu PF central committee.

Other members who were elected include Webster Shamu, Edna Madzongwe and Sylvester Nguni (all Chegutu). Reuben Marumahoko, Godfrey Beremauro and Phone Madiro, who won in their respective constituencies, join Sarah Mahoka who sits in the central committee by virtue of being the treasurer of the National Women’s League for the five positions allocated Hurungwe district. Mliswa was initially part of that group.

Chombo said even though the province had allowed some names to be seconded for the central committee, the politburo had the final say after a thorough vetting process.

“Being approved here does not automatically mean that you are a central committee member. Those who feel that they have been undone by the decision to block them, they can write to the province and we will take it up to the national chairperson,” he said.

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