HARARE Zanu (PF) has halted all disciplinary proceedings against its 'wayward' members as the liberation war movement tries to bring unity to the heavily divided party ahead of its December Congress, documents have revealed. A letter by John Nkomo, the Zanu (PF) chairman, to the provincial chairpersons, stated the party had also lifted suspensions slapped on party members since August. “In view of the fore goings, the party hereby nullifies all suspensions of party members carried out from August 2009,” reads the letter. The politburo, Zanu (PF)’s supreme decision making body, at its 227 Ordinary Session, resolved that all arbitrary and unprocedural suspensions should be stopped forthwith.
Zanu (PF) is riddled with factionalism and divisions as party members fight for posts that are up for grabs during the Congress. The infighting is linked to the succession issue. Nkomo confirmed to The Zimbabwean the lifting of suspensions, saying it “was worrying that the suspensions only emerged when the party was faced with
internal elections. The trend is particularly alarming this time around as we move towards the Congress in December. In the majority of cases, the suspensions do not hold reasons of substance and are irregular, arbitrary and unprocedural,” he said. Ironically, Nkomo chairs the Zanu (PF) Disciplinary Committee.