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A storm is brewing in the Midlands where Zanu PF supporters are pushing for the resignation of provincial governor Jason Machaya, whom they accuse of fuelling divisions and lawlessness in the province.
The squabbles have sucked in senior party officials from rival factions in the former ruling party.
Machaya is also Zanu PF provincial chairperson for the Midlands.
Among other things, those calling for Machaya’s resignation said he “failed to show leadership” in a case where his son Farai Machaya and three others were charged with the murder of Moses Chokuda, a Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T) activist in March last year.
The murder occurred during a dispute over sugar donated by the First Lady Grace Mugabe, which was allegedly diverted to Farai Machaya’s shop.
Almost a year after the murder, recorded in police records under CR No. 130/03/09, the body is still stuck at the mortuary.
Some time last year a Gokwe resident, Dakarai Matimbire, petitioned senior government officials and security chiefs on the matter.
“How long shall the people of Gokwe wait for the governor to bury this beloved person?” reads the petition.
Matimbire said what had further pained them was the endorsement of Farai Machaya to be among Zanu PF national youth representatives.
He called on the authorities to “do something as the support of the party is decreasing day by day in Gokwe”.
“Surely with all these serious allegations the man should just resign from the party because he has tarnished the image of the party in the whole of Gokwe. Spot checks will reveal these,” adds the petition.
Machaya yesterday confirmed that the body had still not been buried, but said it would be illegal for him to facilitate the burial.
However, he said while his son was indeed part of the murder case, he was a victim as the deceased was among people who broke into his shop.
“It is correct that my son is also implicated, but he is implicated as a victim,” said Machaya. The matter is before the courts, and we should allow the courts to do their job, ”
Sources in the province said Machaya “appeared to be going too far” when he attempted to reverse the nomination of Auxillia Mnangagwa on the Central Committee, replacing her with Vongai Muchengeti.
Although Muchengeti was “overwhelmingly thrashed” with a margin of more than 2 000 votes in her central committee bid, party heavyweights in the province, namely Rugare Gumbo, Flora Bhuka, Jabulani Mangena and Machaya, reportedly influenced her nomination by the presidency into the central committee.
On December 30, members of the party’s Kwekwe administrative district petitioned the party’s leadership over Muchengeti’s nomination.
Muchengeti could not be reached for comment. Machaya said the matter was “currently being handled by the province and a comment will be published in due course”.
BY VUSUMUZI SIFILE
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