Zanu PF on Wednesday expelled its former Secretary for Administration Didymus Mutasa and former Mashonaland West chairman Temba Mliswa - both lawmakers - over charges of indiscipline.
Mutasa’s removal came as no surprise after he riled hardliners with threats to challenge the party's December congress in court, arguing its was unlawful.
Spokesman Simon Khaya Moyo told journalists after a meeting of the Zanu PF Politburo that by-elections will now be called in the constituencies that were represented by the two in Parliament.
Mutasa was MP for Headlands while Mliswa – his nephew - represented Hurungwe West.
Their ouster is seen as an escalation of the purge against party members loyal to former Vice President Joice Mujuru, who was hounded out of office last year on accusations she was plotting to unseat Mugabe, 90.
The Politburo also readmitted two legislators, Jonathan Samkange of Mudzi South and Bikita West’s Munyaradzi Kereke, who were expelled in 2013 after contesting as independents.
First Lady Grace Mugabe attended the Politburo sitting for the first time since being elected leader of the Zanu PF Women’s League in December.
For perspective, we reached analyst and political lecturer at the Huddersfield University in England, Nkululeko Sibanda.
