The ZANU PF Manicaland Province has been embroiled in serious infighting, highlighted by recent viral videos of youths disrupting a Provincial Executive Council (PEC) meeting on Monday.
The fracas is largely blamed on, Tawanda Mukodza, the party’s provincial chairman.
However, internal sources told this publication that, Mukodza is a victim of orchestrated infighting by power-hungry individuals aiming to oust him.
The shenanigans are part of a plot that is being engineered by a self-imposed Godfather of the Province who is using certain provincial members as proxies in his fight.
Sources point to one, Washington Ziwiwi, Mutasa District Coordinating Committee Chairperson, as the mastermind behind a fake news campaign against Mukodza.
Ziwiwi allegedly spread false claims that Mukodza misused funds from businessmen, Wicknell Chivhayo and Paul Tungwarara meant for party initiatives.
However, a close source confirmed that Mukodza never received money from Tungwarara, and Chivhayo, funds were meant for party programs in the province.
The irony is that others who received Presidential Empowerment Funds, including DCC Chairpersons and MPs, are not being held accountable.
Ziwiwi, a recipient himself, has not accounted for the funds.
Another example is that of the Secretary for Adminstration, Samson Matema, who is also the Member of Parliament for Buhera Central Constituency. He is among the recipients of the US$25000 Presidential Empowerment Fund. It is also alleged that he received $5000 from Mukodza to drill a community borehole.He is yet to account for all that money.
Mukodza is allegedly being targeted unfairly.
He ended the PEC meeting after a member insulted a war veteran, an action supported by War Veterans and Women’s Leagues.
His rivals allegedly hired thugs, linked to, Clyde Jani, to disrupt the meeting. Jani has a history of hooliganism and previous arrests.
A source expressed concern that these actions are reversing progress made in popularizing the party in Manicaland. The party will investigate the violent incident, and those behind the attacks on Mukodza will face consequences.
