THE son of the late Vice-President John Landa Nkomo has been barred from attending the forthcoming Zanu PF annual conference after his name was removed from the accreditation list.
Zanu PF will hold its annual conference in Bulawayon next week.
Party provincial structures have been accrediting delegates to attend the conference, but indications are that the process is marred by factional wars.
In Matabeleland North province, Nkomo’s son, Jabulani, was the latest casualty after he was told that his name was not on the accreditation list.
“My name was on the list from Tsholotsho district to our Lupane provincial office for accreditation for the party’s forthcoming conference as a provincial member elected by Tsholotsho district,” Jabulani told NewsDay.
“Surprisingly, it disappeared along the way and was nowhere to be found. I have lodged my complaint with the relevant offices, hence I can’t comment any further.”
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Zanu PF insiders yesterday said provincial chairperson Richard Moyo allegedly conspired with his allies to remove Jabulani’s name at the last minute.
He was reportedly replaced by Moyo’s allies such as former Senator Believe Gaule, adding that this was despite that the latter was not part of the current provincial structure.
Gaule disputed the allegations when contacted for comment, and referred NewsDay to Moyo.
Moyo, who is also the Matabeleland North Provincial Affairs and Devolution minister, distanced himself from the controversy.
“It is not my duty to accredit delegates, therefore, I was never involved in coming up with the list of delegates,” he said yesterday.
“If ever there is such a case, why should the person be removed?”
Zanu PF provincial administrator, Bigboy Nkiwane, could not be reached for comment.
But sources in the province said the discord began in May when Jabulani was co-opted into the provincial co-ordinating committee following the creation of a new post of provincial deputy member for local government.
During the meeting held to co-opt a new member, two names came, that of Jabulani and Gaule, which meant the party had to hold elections to fill up the post.
It is said Gaule excused himself from the election revealed a source close to the matter.
However, later on there were machinations to replace Jabulani, with some top members in the party insisting Gaule should take up the post.
The sources also said tensions were building up in Zanu PF ahead of the conference over plans to come up with a resolution to amend the Constitution to extend presidential term limits.
Provincial executive members were pressured to endorse the plans for President Emmerson Mnangagwa to extend his term of office to 2030.
However, it is alleged that grassroots structures were against 2030 agenda.
Mnangagwa has, on different occasions, said he would not seek to extend his term beyond 2028, adding that the part would choose its next leader in 2027.
Even if the Constitution is amended, the supreme law of the land states that the office-bearer cannot be a beneficiary of the amendments.