Mzembi’s return to ZANU PF stalls as Masvingo Province summons him over critical tweets

Former Foreign Affairs Minister Walter Mzembi’s bid to rejoin ZANU PF has stalled — after party bosses in Masvingo Province summoned him to explain a string of social media posts allegedly attacking the ruling party.

The ZANU PF Masvingo provincial executive council wants the former Masvingo South MP to appear before it before a final decision is made on whether to readmit him.

Mzembi, a former Tourism Minister and once a senior party figure in Masvingo, was expelled from ZANU PF in 2017 when Team Lacoste — the faction that backed then Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa — seized control of the party.

He belonged to the rival G40 camp, whose leaders were scattered after Lacoste triumphed. He applied to rejoin the ruling party this year.

But his application has run into trouble.

Provincial bosses say they want him to account for posts attributed to him on social media that were critical of the party.

ZANU PF Masvingo provincial chair Robson Mavhenyengwa told The Herald that Mzembi failed to turn up when he was summoned.

“We had summoned him to appear before the party provincial executive council meeting where we wanted him to explain himself over some social media posts attributed to him that were critical of the party,” Mavhenyengwa said.

“He did not turn up for the meeting ostensibly because our secretariat failed to reach him, but we hope that he will appear before the provincial executive council during our next meeting.”

“He applied to rejoin the party, and during deliberations to determine his application it emerged that he was posting some undesirable social media messages, so we resolved to have him come and explain himself, and we will wait for him.”

Mavhenyengwa also dismissed circulating claims on social media that Mzembi had already been cleared to return.

“We only resolved to recommend the readmission of Cde Kudakwashe Gopo of Bikita, but with Mzembi we are not done yet,” he said.

If the Masvingo leadership decides to readmit him, it will still have to make a recommendation to the national leadership before his return is formalised.

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ZANU PF Masvingo Province Joins Harare In Pushing For “CAB4” Former G40 kingpin, Walter Mzembi, applies to rejoin ZANU PF