The Mashonaland West provincial branch of Zimbabwe's former ruling ZANU-PF party remained in turmoil this week following the dismissal of the provincial chairman, John Mafa, and two other local officials amid police investigations into the diversion of fertilizer to the local black market.
The party's provincial coordinating committee said a no-confidence vote was passed on Mafa, provincial vice chairman Frank Ndambakuwa and local party lands secretary Temba Mliswa for alleged maladministration.
Mafa was replaced as chairman by Robert Sikanyika, and the deputy chairman slot was filled by Reuben Marumahoko, ZANU-PF sources said.
But Mafa told VOA that the meeting that ousted them was convened illegally and in violation of the party constitution, so all three remain in place.
VOA reported last week that Mafa had been questioned by police in connection with the alleged diversion of fertilizer from the state-operated Grain Marketing Board in Chinhoyi, capital of Mashonaland West province.
Dismissed ZANU-PF provincial lands secretary Mliswa told VOA reporter Jonga Kandemiiri that he was being victimized because of a report on land use which had exposed top party officials including Ignatius Chombo, minister of local government, and Webster Shamu, minister of information, who owned multiple farms seized under the country's land redistribution program.
Neither Chombo and Shamu could be reached for comment.
