ZANU PF Women’s League members in Masvingo on Thursday staged a demonstration at the party’s provincial offices urging President Emmerson Mnangagwa to fire minister of State for Masvingo Province Ezra Chadzamira (pictured), accusing him of corruption, violating the Zanu PF constitution and manipulating the party structures.
MORRIS BISHI
The women, believed to be aligned to a faction led by Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga, were carrying placards with various messages denouncing Chadzamira.
They proceeded with their demonstration unmolested by the police. The protest came a few weeks after Chadzamira left a party meeting at Caravan Park in a huff after being informed that the women were about to embarrass him.
The strongest Mnangagwa allay in the province, who is also the party’s provincial chairperson, Chadzamira is facing stiff competition from Rabson Mavenyengwa, a former police intelligence head in Masvingo, who is also vying for the provincial post in the coming party elections.
Zanu PF Masvingo provincial spokesperson Ophias Murambiwa confirmed the demonstration although he said he did not have details as he was in Harare attending Parliament.
“I can confirm that there was a demonstration at our offices in Masvingo. I am not around but l heard that the protest was against party provincial chairman whom they are accusing of manipulating party structures. There are other issues which l need to confirm first before l comment. There are districts which are complaining about the manipulation, but in our district, which is Zaka, our structures are in order,” Mavenyengwa said.
Efforts to get a comment from Chadzamira were fruitless as he was not answering calls to his mobile phone.
Women’s League provincial chairperson Aliginia Samson told The NewsHawks that she was not aware of what happened in Masvingo since she was travelling from Dubai. She said she could only comment upon arrival back home.
A woman from Chivi who attended the pro[1]test told The NewsHawks that their grievances were not personal but good for the party as Chadzamira is abusing his post and his actions could affect the party’s support base as the country moves towards the 2023 elections, she said.
She added that the party’s provincial chairperson is disrespecting liberation war veterans, as well as engaging in questionable activities.
“They view us as advancing our interests but this is a move which came after serious deliberations as a party. What the chairman is doing is working against the ethos of the party and if the President ignores our grievances the party will be history in 2023. We call upon the President to remove him and give us a person who is able to work with the people,” the woman said.
