Cde Machaya
Munyaradzi Musiiwa Midlands Correspondent
ZANU-PF Midlands Province yesterday passed a vote of no confidence in its chairperson Cde Jason Machaya whom they accuse of fanning factionalism and failing to resolve squabbles which have seen the party going for six months without a substantive executive.Cde Machaya becomes the fourth provincial chairperson to be kicked out via a no confidence vote.
Other Zanu-PF provincial chairpersons who have suffered a similar fate are Cdes Temba Mliswa (Mashonaland West), Retired Brigadier-General Callisto Gwanetsa (Masvingo) and Amos Midzi (Harare).
Cde Machaya’s ouster followed a motion by Midlands provincial secretary for information and publicity Cde Cornelius Mpereri to boot out Cde Machaya during a provincial executive meeting held at the Zanu-PF Convention Centre in Gweru.
The motion was seconded by provincial youth vice chairperson Cde Prosper Machando.
Forty-four provincial executive members endorsed the motion out of the 50 who attended.
Cde Machaya agreed to step down and immediately left the meeting.
His deputy Cde Kizito Chivamba is now the acting provincial chairperson until the party’s elective congress set for next month in Harare.
In his report, Cde Mpereri accused Cde Machaya of fanning factionalism and snubbing party meetings.
“As the provincial executive, we moved a motion to pass a vote of no confidence in the chairman Cde Machaya in line with article 29 Section 251 of the party constitution,” he said.
“The reasons for the vote of no confidence are that he has failed in his capacity as chairman of the party to convene executive meetings in line with Article 12 Section 95 (2) of the constitution which states that the provincial chairman must convene at least one meeting every month.
“We only had three meetings since we became an executive. Secondly, he has been accused of fanning factionalism in the province. Through his leadership, he is letting things go haywire where people in Gokwe are having serious divisions,” he said.
Cde Mpereri said Cde Machaya snubbed a tour of the province by the provincial executive sanctioned by the provincial coordinating committee.
“Finally, in April when we were suspended, Cde Machaya chaired a meeting which was unconstitutional in that it did not constitute a quorum as per Article 3 Section 18 (5) of the party constitution which states that every meeting should constitute a quorum.
“That report went to the Politburo culminating in Cde Shamu suspending the provincial executive. Cde Machaya has stepped down after the motion was moved and seconded,” he said.
Cde Mpereri said four district chairpersons face disciplinary action over allegations of gross misconduct.
“In our executive meeting, we deliberated on a number of issues that include the issues of indiscipline in Shurugwi where we had some district chairpersons who were ferried by buses from Shurugwi to Harare for an unsanctioned inter-district meeting.
“We had again another issue in Gokwe where a lot of things are happening that are outside the provisions of the party’s constitution. Those will be referred to the chairman of the disciplinary committee,” he said.
The removal of Cde Machaya irritated Cdes Cephas Msipa and Rugare Gumbo who questioned the criteria used.
Cde Gumbo accused Zanu-PF secretary for Legal Affairs and Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Cde Emmerson Mnangagwa of playing a role in Cde Machaya’s sacking.
“Last week Cde Mnangagwa said there was nothing going on with regards to the vote of no confidence in Cde Machaya,” he said.
Cde Tapiwa Matangaidze interjected saying Cde Mnangagwa was not a provincial executive committee member and could not be held accountable for the no confidence vote in Cde Machaya.
“The decision was made by the provincial executive of which Cde Mnangagwa is not a part. Let us leave Cde Mnangagwa out of this issue because it is not fair to accuse him when he also is learning of the development through the report back,” he said.
Cdes Msipa and Gumbo were accused of trying to divide Zanu-PF through manipulation of the province.