Zimbabwe Guardian
By Floyd Nkomo
Saturday 3 October 2009
THE 226th Ordinary Session of the Zanu PF Politburo has endorsed the application by Professor Jonathan Moyo to rejoin the party.
Prof. Moyo is the only independent lawmaker in Zimbabwe’s 210-seat parliament. He represents Tsholotsho North.
He is the former Zanu PF Deputy Secretary for Information and Publicity.
Reading a communiqué at the party headquarters, the party Deputy Secretary for Information and Publicity Ephraim Masawi said the Politburo unanimously welcomed Professor Moyo as a member of Zanu PF.
“The Politburo considered the application by Professor Jonathan Moyo to rejoin ZanuPF which was unanimously endorsed,” Masawi told a news conference.
Masawi said the politburo has expressed dismay at the lack of concern over the Minister of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture Senator David Coltart and Finance Minister Tendai Biti towards the plight of pupils who had failed to pay examination fees which the parents could not afford.
He said the Politburo requested President Robert Mugabe to direct the two ministers to immediately rectify the situation.
The Minister of Finance also came under spotlight for dragging his feet on releasing funds to banks to enable them to extend working capital to farmers.
Justice and Legal Affairs Minister Patrick Chinamasa said an independent MP’s seat would not be affected if he or she decided to join any party of their choice.
Zimbabwe’s laws bar MPs elected on a party ticket to cross the floor as this results in automatic expulsion from Parliament once the party’s secretary-general notifies the speaker that the member is no longer with the party.
Prof Moyo yesterday expressed delight at being re-admitted into Zanu-PF.
“I am delighted to hear the outcome of the deliberations. I am sure the people of Tsholotsho, who know only too well that the development projects which speak for themselves across the constituency, were done with and through Zanu PF are also delighted about the outcome.
“In the meantime, I look forward to be working with comrades in the party for our great country to defend the legacy and gains of our liberation struggle and to make Zimbabwe the success story that our fallen sons and daughters of the soil wanted it to be,” he said.
Prof Moyo was expelled from Government and Zanu PF following his decision to stand as an independent candidate in the 2005 parliamentary elections.
Zanu PF had at the time reserved the seat for a female candidate, Musa Mathema, as part of its efforts to improve the status of women in the party.
The former Information and Publicity Minister was also dropped from the party’s Central Committee and subsequently the Politburo at the 2004 Zanu PF congress.
POLITBURO CONCERNED ABOUT MINISTERS
The Zanu PF party leadership expressed dismay at the lack of concern by the ministries of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture and Finance over the plight of students due to write public examinations in November.
“Denying these children the opportunity to sit their examinations violates their right to education, contrary to our policy of universal access to education for all Zimbabweans,” said Masawi.
“The Politburo found it scandalous that the children were not going to write their examinations on the pretext that there is no money yet Zimbabwe is sitting on a US$510 million availed by the IMF for relief purposes,” he said.
Government has since announced an extended deadline of October 16, which will also see candidates being allowed to pay the registration fees in monthly installments.
However, the students taking advantage of the arrangement will only be able to register for a maximum of six Ordinary Level subjects and three at Advanced Level.
The Politburo noted that the inability by parents to raise the fees was not their choice but a consequence of the illegal economic sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe by the West.
“In view of the aforegoing, the Politburo requested President Mugabe, in his capacity as President of the Republic and Chief Executive of the inclusive Government, to direct the Minister of Finance, Mr Tendai Biti, and Senator Coltart to immediately rectify the position and make sure all the students are afforded the opportunity to write their examination at the same time as the other 30 percent of the students who have already paid their examination fees,” he said.