The ManicaPost
Samuel Kadungure : Senior Reporter
CHIMANIMANI West Member of National Assembly, Engineer Munacho Mutezo was on Wednesday expelled from Zanu-PF for filtering with the Zimbabwe People First.Rogue war veterans, Messrs Victor Matemadanda, Francis Nhando, Douglas Mahiya and Headman Moyo were also axed as was Chimanimani Rural District Council Ward Eight (Nyanyadzi) councillor, Mr Joe Zviuya.
Zanu-PF secretary for administration, Dr Ignatius Chombo, said a by-election would soon be held in Chimanimani West.
Eng Mutezo and Mr Zviuya were last Friday expected to appear before the Zanu-PF national disciplinary committee chaired by the party’s secretary for legal affairs, Cde Patrick Chinamasa – but did not pitch up.
The committee passed a default judgement to expel them which the Politburo upheld.
“(Eng) Mutezo has been expelled from Zanu-PF. He was given an opportunity to defend himself before the National Disciplinary Committee, but failed to do so. A by-election will soon be held in Chimanimani West,” said Dr Chombo.
A number of candidates eyeing for Eng Mutezo’s seat include Cde Letina Undenge, the wife of Energy minister and chairman for Zanu-PF Manicaland, Dr Samuel Undenge, Cde Nokhutula Matsikenyere, Retired Lieutenant Colonel Charles Muresherwa and the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development, Professor Francis Gudyanga.
Prior to his expulsion, Eng Mutezo was serving a three-year suspension for being part of Dr Mujuru’s cabal that was plotting the ouster of President Mugabe from power.
Eng Mutezo has been actively participating in ZimPF activities.
Efforts to get a comment from Eng Mutezo were fruitless as his mobile phone was constantly unreachable. Text message wired on his WhatsApp had also not been delivered at the time of going to Press.
ZimPF spokesperson, Mr Jealous Mawarire, professed ignorance over the matter.
“It was Zanu-PF that had subpoenaed him over allegations raised by its structures, and that has nothing to do with ZimPF. We are not bothered by how Zanu-PF conduct its affairs,” said Mr Mawarire.
At a ZimPF meeting held in March in Mutare, Eng Mutezo was seated on the front raw, next to another suspended Zanu-PF official, Retired Brigadier General Elliot Kasu.
Ex-Zanu PF chairperson for Manicaland, Ambassador Dr John Shumba Mvundura and Retired Major James Kaunye (ex-political commissar) also attended the meeting that was addressed by former Zanu-PF secretary for administration and now ZimPF elder, Mr Didymus Mutasa.
Former MDC-T legislators Mr Shuwa Mudiwa and Senator Patrick Chitaka have also defected to the ZimPF.
