THERE was excitement among Zanu PF activists on Sunday following the official announcement of former long-serving Local Government minister, Ignatius Chombo's return to the party after a five-year hiatus.
Chombo, who also served as Finance minister towards the end of late former president Robert Mugabe's rule, was fired from the party in the aftermath of the 2017 coup.
Last year, the former Zanu PF national secretary for administration applied for readmission and the Mashonaland West provincial leadership, led by Mary Mliswa-Chikoka, recommended his comeback awaiting confirmation by President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
During Sunday's Zanu PF provincial coordinating committee (PCC) meeting held in Chinhoyi, party provincial chairman Mliswa-Chikoka, announced Chombo's readmission sparking jubilation among delegates.
"You might all recall that PCC made a recommendation after receiving a letter from Cde I.C.M Chombo stating he wanted to return to the party. Let me say congratulations Mash West, Cde Chombo has officially been readmitted, and our recommendation passed," said Mliswa-Chikoka.
Sources who spoke to NewZimbabwe.com, say pardoning the ex-godfather could pose headaches for his estranged wife, Marian Chombo, who is the current Mashonaland West Provincial Affairs minister and Zvimba North MP.
"This could be interpreted as setting the cat among the pigeons, squaring Ignatius up for a bruising political fight for the Zvimba North parliamentary seat against Marian because both would want the position for political expediency," said the source, who requested anonymity.
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Ignatius, popularly known as 'Whitehead', was a long-time Zvimba North legislator, a position he is reportedly eyeing to relaunch his political renaissance that will see him feature prominently in national political discourse.
With his phenomenal rise from a mere academic to a defacto prime minister and wealthy political godfather of Mashonaland West, Chombo was at one time touted as Mugabe's heir apparent.
However, Mugabe's ouster became his Waterloo resulting in him facing criminal nuisance charges for wearing Zanu PF regalia. He was arrested together with youth leaders Kudzanai Chipanga, Innocent Hamandishe and Matthew Mleya.
Then, the State alleged that between December 8 and 13, 2017, Chombo and his co-accused connived to wear party regalia emblazoned with Mnangagwa's initials, although they knew they were no longer Zanu PF members.
They took photographs of themselves while wearing the regalia, including hats embroidered with the Zanu PF flag, inscribed "ED" and "Kutonga Kwaro".
The court heard that the quartet then posted the said photographs on social media. Zanu PF leadership saw this as a nuisance and reported the matter to the police.
The ex-minister was arrested on several other charges which were, however, dropped after the Constitutional Court ruled that his arrest was unlawful.
He was, again, arrested on fresh criminal charges which he was subsequently cleared of, and is now a free man.
Efforts to get a comment from Chombo were fruitless at the time of publishing.
