Several of former Zimmabwe Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s allies are facing expulsion from the ruling party, as is Mnangagwa himself.

On Monday some Zanu-PF Provincial Co-ordinating Committees met and passed resolutions to remove members aligned to the Lacoste faction, which was being led by Mnangagwa.

Their fate will be decided at the politburo (the ruling party’s supreme decision-making body) meeting when it sits next week.

Some of the members to be expelled are former Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa, who was moved to the Cyber Security Ministry during a cabinet reshuffle meant to weaken the Lacoste faction last month.

Former Women’s League leader and Water and Climate Minister Oppah Muchinguri, Christopher Mushowe, National Scholarships in the President’s Office minister, State Security Minister Kembo Mohadi and former Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister Prisca Mupfumira, who was sacked during the reshuffle, and Ziyambi Ziyambi, deputy minister of home affairs, are among the members to be axed from the party.

History is repeating itself, with Mnangagwa’s cronies next on the line – which is how the purging unfolded for former Vice President Joice Mujuru, when she fell from grace.

Chairperson of the Children of Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association, Innocent Mhlanga, at a press conference held in Harare on Tuesday, said their organisation is not happy with the expulsion of both the former Vice President and his allies within the party.

“Those who are issuing vote of no confidence are unelected members booting out members who are elected,” Mhlanga said.

Most provinces have passed the resolutions except Midlands, which is rallying behind the Lacoste faction leader. The provincial chairperson, Mackenzie Ncube, who spoke to the Daily News, said, “We are not going to have an emergency provincial committee meeting on that issue because there is nothing to talk about.”

Five ruling party provinces, including the Youth League, have since endorsed First Lady Grace Mugabe as the ideal candidate for the Vice President position. This will see Grace Mugabe officially ruling the country next to her husband in government.

During a Super Sunday rally held over the weekend, the first lady, addressing the apostolic sect, said the ruling party will change its charter to pave the way for the appointment of a female vice president at a special congress slated for next month. DM

File photo: Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe (R) shares a joke with his vice-President  Emmerson Mnangagwa during Mugabe’s birthday celebrations at Great Zimbabwe in Masvingo, February 27, 2016. REUTERS/Philimon Bulawayo – RTS8A7A