The Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front, which is going for a special congress in December, has suspended four top officials from Masvingo and the Midlands in a move seen as targeted at Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Party national commissar, Saviour Kasukuwere, one of the key drivers of the G40 faction which wants to get rid of Mnangagwa preferring First Lady Grace Mugabe who they believe will be a easy push-over once President Robert Mugabe is gone, suspended Masvingo provincial chairman Ezra Chadzamira, provincial youth league political commissar Brian Munyoro, Midlands acting vice-chairman Godwin Shiri and provincial youth secretary for administration Justice Mayor Wadyajena.

The four are accused disrespecting the party leadership and fanning divisions in the two provinces.

Chadzamira was re-elected provincial chairman for Masvingo five months ago after polling 29 543 votes against G40’s Mutero Masanganise who came out with a paltry 1080.

This was the second time that Chadzamira had clobbered Masanganise.

In February he polled 12 393 votes against Masanganise’s 4 888 but the election was nullified because most areas had allegedly not taken part in the polls.

First Lady Grace Mugabe lambasted the two provinces for being tribalistic.

The two provinces are the only ones with elected party officials, the other eight are led by people co-opted by Kasukuwere and his G40.