PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa this week fired outspoken Zanu PF political commissar Victor Matemadanda amid reports the controversial politician is set to be reassigned to head a diplomatic mission.
Matemadanda was also relieved from his defence ministerial post where he was deputising Oppah Muchinguri.
Presidential spokesperson George Charamba confirmed to the media Friday that Matemadanda was no longer the Zanu PF’s political commissar or deputy minister in government.
“Matemadanda was not fired, but he has been reassigned for a higher responsibility out of the country,” Charamba said.
“A number of our embassies have no representatives, hence there is a need to fill in those vacant posts. But it’s up to His Excellency (Mnangagwa)’s discretion on assigning the individuals. There are a number of reassignments that are going to be taking place.”
Matemadanda is reported to have been told of the latest developments by Mnangagwa at a Zanu PF Politburo meeting Thursday.
He stands accused of causing chaos in the commissariat department including presiding over the chaotic Zanu PF district coordinating committee (DCC) elections last December.
The elections were marred by accusations of vote rigging and buying, and violence.
The Zanu PF Central Committee including Mnangagwa will meet today to discuss the chaos being caused by elected DCC members across the country who are reported to be eyeing parliamentary, provincial and other senior positions.
Last week, he was quoted telling party structures Zanu PF was behind decimation of the MDC Alliance led by Nelson Chamisa.
“As we speak, the MDC Alliance is going down. This is because the likes of Chamisa unscrupulously rose to power,” Matemadanda told party structures in Marondera last week.
“The party is melting like a burning candle. We are not yet through (with them); very soon we will be announcing what we call big names. They are coming back home.
“Now he (Chamisa) is crying accusing Zanu PF of being behind his demise. You think that we liberated this country to surrender it? If that is the case, then we need to be examined by psychiatrists. Do you think that we missed a greater part of our youth days liberating this country to donate it? Are we donors? We will defend ourselves.”
On Thursday, Zanu PF national spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo was forced to call for a press conference where the ruling party distanced itself from the latest recall of MDC Alliance who include Tendai Biti, the party’s vice president.
Matemadanda, took over as political commissar from Engelbert Rugeje in June 2019.
Meanwhile, in what seems to be a move to defy Mnangagwa’s decision to fire him, Matemadanda Friday co-signed a Zanu PF circular to all provincial and DCC chairpersons warning them against taking unconstitutional and unprocedural actions and decisions.
Matemadanda told the state media Friday, the circular was meant to clip the wings of some DCCs who were jumping the gun.
Other co-signatories to the circular are; Zanu PF National Chairperson Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri, Secretary for Administration Obert Mpofu, Secretary for Security Lovemore Matuke, Secretary for Information and Publicity Moyo, Secretary for Women’s League Mable Chinomona and acting Secretary for Youth Tendai Chirau.
“DCCs have no power of co-option and as such, any co-options that were made under the direction or supervision of the DCCs remain unauthorised and invalid,” Matemadanda said.
“DCCs have no power to organise and cause elections of district executive councils. Any elections conducted at the instigation and supervision of the DCCs are null and void. The branch, the district, the province and the Central Committee have got a disciplinary board that settles disciplinary matters, but that is not found in the DCCs,” he added.
“What it means is that there is no action that can be taken by a DCC structure as a disciplinary action because they do not have that function.
