Self-exiled former Tourism Minister, Walter Mzembi, says he legally and technically remains a member of the ruling ZANU PF.
Mzembi is among several former senior government officials who skipped the country’s borders in 2017 following the ouster of the late veteran leader Robert Mugabe.
He said he is part of the ZANU PF leadership despite the party electing new Central Committee and Politburo members at last month’s elective Congress, New Zimbabwe reported. Mzembi is cited as saying:
Legally and technically, I am still a Zanu-PF Central Committee member, in party audits my cell location is Rupike township, Masvingo.
I don’t think my standing in the party is urgent business to them, they are focused on elections. It won’t be anytime soon, l am busy with other things too.
I have never recognised my other comrades’ expulsion, it was by all accounts an illegality, null and void to the extent that Zanu-PF did not follow due process or its own Constitution.
In its summary dismissal of party members, only made known to me under duress resulting in loss of office in both party and government, it is only Zanu-PF which can correct its illegality, not the victim.
Mzembi’s remarks come as other self-exiled former ministers, Jonathan Moyo and Patrick Zhuwao have written to ZANU PF apologising for their association with the opposition.
Analysts say they could be planning to rejoin the ruling party.