Kudzai Chipanga of the Apolo Jersey Fame Back in ZANU PF

President Emmerson Mnangagwa met former Zanu-PF youth secretary Kudzai Chipanga, on Saturday at his farm near Kwekwe amid indications the latter could be drafted back into the ruling party after three years in the political wilderness.

Chipanga was dismissed from Zanu-PF last year, for associating with the G40 cabal that sought to elevate former President Robert Mugabe's wife – Grace – to the presidency of the party and the country.

Chipanga was among the five Zanu-PF expelled legislators. He was expelled after his earlier expulsion from the party.

In early March 2016, Chipanga led the Zanu-PF Youth League passing a “vote of no confidence” in its secretary and Politburo member Pupurai Togarepi and two other senior officials in the wing.

Though no reason was given, he was believed to be part of the faction fighting within the party. Togarepi's ouster effectively elevated Chipanga to the helm of the Youth League.

In 2018, Zanu-PF turned down Chipanga's quest to be readmitted into the party after he was expelled from the party in 2017.

Party spokesman Simon Khaya Moyo said this following a meeting of the party's politburo in Harare.

He said Chipanga and Hamandishe's readmission had failed after the Zanu-PF Youth League “declined” to entertain their request.

Meanwhile, the Zanu-PF Politburo yesterday removed secretary for Youth Affairs Cde Pupurai Togarepi from the post and suspended his deputy Lewis Matutu and secretary for the Commissariat Godfrey Tsenengamu for a year for indiscipline.

Togarepi will, however, remain a Central Committee member, while Cdes Matutu and Tsenengamu will revert to being ordinary card-carrying members.

Matutu and Tsenengamu will be required to undergo rigorous training at the Chitepo School of Ideology for three months.