Zanu PF Secretary-General Nullifies Illegal Removal of Mashonaland West Provincial Official

Source: www.zimbabwesituation.com

A dispute has erupted within Zanu PF’s Mashonaland West province following the controversial removal of provincial secretary for administration Misheck Nyarubero. In a letter dated February 17, 2023, Zanu PF secretary-general Jacob Mudenda declared the removal unlawful, citing serious procedural violations by the provincial leadership. Mudenda’s intervention effectively nullified the decision and instructed the province to follow the disciplinary procedures outlined in the party’s 2022 constitution.

The removal of Nyarubero occurred during a reshuffle of the provincial executive council (PEC) in late 2022. However, conflicting accounts emerged regarding the allegations against him. Minutes from a PEC meeting held on November 7, 2022, accused Nyarubero of repeated lapses and inconsistencies that allegedly posed a security threat to the provincial chairperson, Mary Mliswa-Chikoka. Conversely, minutes from a provincial coordinating committee (PCC) meeting on November 16, 2022, suggested his offence was limited to writing to party headquarters without the chairperson’s knowledge.

Mudenda emphasized that neither the PEC nor the PCC had the authority to discipline or remove an elected official like Nyarubero. He referenced sections 105 and 115 of the Zanu PF constitution, which restrict disciplinary powers to the provincial disciplinary committee as stipulated in section 526. Furthermore, Mudenda underscored that any removal must follow the formal disciplinary process detailed in chapter 5, article 37 of the party’s code of conduct. He warned that bypassing these procedures was tantamount to reviving the abolished vote of no confidence mechanism.

The secretary-general instructed the Mashonaland West provincial leadership to reverse the reshuffle’s effects and reinstate Nyarubero’s status pending proper disciplinary action. He also requested that all relevant disciplinary records be submitted to party headquarters for review. This directive aims to restore order and ensure compliance with constitutional provisions within the party’s provincial structures.

The controversy unfolds amid broader tensions in Mashonaland West, where a board of inquiry was established late last year to investigate allegations of embezzlement, insubordination, and incompetence within the provincial party ranks. Party members await the outcome of this inquiry, which could have significant implications for the province’s leadership and internal governance.

This episode highlights ongoing challenges within Zanu PF’s provincial administrations, where adherence to party rules and transparent disciplinary processes remain critical to maintaining unity and legitimacy. For Zimbabweans observing political developments, the national leadership’s firm stance reinforces the importance of constitutionalism even within ruling party structures.

Related topics: Zanu PF, party leadership, provincial executive, disciplinary procedures, Jacob Mudenda, Mashonaland West, political purge, party constitution, Misheck Nyarubero

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