Former MDC Alliance top official Tracy Mutinhiri is set for a sensational return to Zanu-PF after handing in an application letter at the Mashonaland East provincial offices in Marondera declaring her intention to rejoin the ruling party.
This was revealed by the party’s provincial administration secretary Kudzai Majuru during a provincial co-ordinating committee (PCC) meeting held in Marondera on Saturday last week.
Mutinhiri, who joined the opposition party during the late Morgan Tsvangirai’s era after defecting from Zanu-PF, quit the MDC Alliance in February last year citing “personal reasons” after having held influential positions for four years.
“We received applications from people who want to rejoin the party. We have Tracy Mutinhiri and three others. As a province, we recommended that they be readmitted into the party, However, according to the (party) constitution, they will become ordinary card-carrying members. We await for approval from our party leadership on the way forward,” Majuru said.
The other two who have applied to be readmitted into the Zanu-PF party are Oswell Gwanzura from Goromonzi district and Joseph Kamwendo from Murewa.
Gwanzura was expelled after standing as an independent candidate during the 2018 elections as he protested against former Goromonzi South legislator Petronnela Kagonye’s alleged rigging of the party’s primaries, while Kamwendo had fallen out of favour with the late provincial chairmanship Joel Biggie Matiza.
Majuru added that Mutinhiri’s ex-husband and former minister Ambrose Mutinhiri had also applied to work with the Zanu-PF provincial team.
“We all know that Mutinhiri was welcomed back through our top leadership. He, however, applied to the province notifying us at provincial level so that we work together,” Majuru said.
Zanu-PF is currently luring expelled members and opposition party activists to join the party and beef up its support base ahead of the 2023 elections.
Recently, top MDC officials Lillian Timveos and Blessing Chebundo also defected to Zanu-PF.
Credit: Newsday