STAFF WRITER • 18 November 2014 9:14AM • 11 comments
HARARE - Ray Kaukonde, the Zanu Mashonaland East provincial chairman, was yesterday booted out after the local executive passed a vote of no confidence in him.
While Kaukonde was unreachable for comment yesterday, Phineas Chihota, the secretary general, has been appointed the acting provincial chairman.
Chihota, who read out the resolution backed by 27 members of the executive, is accused of abusing women, promoting factionalism and being hell-bent on working against first lady Grace Mugabe.
Kaukonde, who has in recent weeks come under sustained attacks by war veterans, was suspended together with provincial political commissar, Tendai Makuinde and his deputy, George Katsande; the deputy secretary for Security, Washington Musvaire; the deputy secretary for Finance, Felix Mhona; secretary for Education, Taurai Pasirai, the provincial administrator, Peter Murwira and Boniface Mutize.
Kaukonde and his team are the latest executive to be suspended after being seen as Mugabe critics and have been accused by Mujuru's rivals, including Mugabe's wife, of plotting a challenge to Africa's oldest leader at an elective congress set for December 2.