The expulsions came just days after Grace Mugabe, the president’s wife who sits on the committee, returned to Zimbabwe after two months’ absence from the country.
Grace, who Mugabe calls Mrs Stop It for her role in the removal of former vice president Joice Mujuru and other senior party members from their positions at last year’s congress, had an operation in the Far East and delayed her return from an annual holiday with her husband.
The committee reportedly delayed trying Mutasa, an uncle to Mliswa who was last year removed from the Mashonaland West provincial chairmanship for siding with Mujuru, as it awaited Grace’s return.
Simon Khaya Moyo, the party spokesperson, announced yesterday that the two were expelled for undermining the party leadership and bringing Zanu (PF) into disrepute.
Mutasa, who has insisted that the disciplinary committee is illegal as it was appointed by a politburo chosen from an unconstitutional congress, has been leading a campaign to reverse the outcome of the December party summit.
“On Cde Didymus Mutasa, a detailed report by the NDC was presented to the Politburo by the Secretary for Legal Affairs Cde Patrick Chinamasa, highlighting the disparaging remarks said by Cde Mutasa against the party and the party’s leadership and his rubbishing of the Congress as illegal, null and void.
“The Committee treated his case as unique and extraordinary and determined that according to its rules, Cde Mutasa has continued to be unrepentant and has continued to issue statements, which are unhelpful to him. The Politburo has, therefore, expelled Cde Didymus Mutasa from the party, which renders his parliamentary seat (Headlands) vacant,” Khaya Moyo said.
The committee found Mliswa guilty of disrespecting the party’s leadership and disrupting party meetings in Mashonaland West province and his seat will also be contested in a by-election.
“On Cde Temba Mliswa, he has also been expelled from the party on an array of charges ranging from insubordination, denigrating party leaders, interfering with the running of the party’s youths and women’s leagues in the province, extortionist behaviour and continuing disrupting party meetings,” added Khaya Moyo.
Meanwhile, the politburo accepted back into the party Munyaradzi Kereke, Jonathan Samkange and Daniel Garwe who contested the 2013 general elections as independents.
Post published in: News