Expelled Vice President Joice Mujuru has received a major boost in her challenge against Robert Mugabe as deposed secretary for administration Didymus Mutasa yesterday whipped down and humiliated ZANU PF secretary for the commissariat Saviour Kasukuwere, now referred to as a mafikizolo.
This came just as Mujuru obtained a fresh round of support from hundreds within the new Mugabe-centric faction with axed spokesman Rugare Gumbo insisting at the end of the day that he was still a member of the party shrugging off his ouster which occurred just before last year’s congress.
Kasukuwere on Tuesday said they were ready for Mutasa, but the former Zanu PF honcho says he will not be cowed by the new party secretary for the commissariat.
Kasukuwere said Mutasa’s statement that they did not recognise outcomes of the congress showed that he was always against President Robert Mugabe.
Mutasa yesterday hit back, saying Kasukuwere’s response to his statement betrayed desperation for power and positions.
“I am working for unity in Zanu PF and in the country as a whole,” Mutasa said.
“These are the same lies they have told people before.
“We have never been against our president, but we are against omafikizolo like him who have misled our president.”
On Monday, Mutasa issued a statement to the media accusing party newcomers, whom he described as omafikizolo, of being vultures who have hijacked the party with the intention of destroying it from within.
Kasukuwere, Information minister Jonathan Moyo, Higher Education minister Oppah Muchinguri and former legislator Patrick Zhuwao have been accused of pulling the strings in Zanu PF and determining the ouster of several members, charges they deny.
Mutasa threatened to take the party to court over the congress, describing himself as the bona fide secretary for administration.
Mutasa, Gumbo, former Vice-President Joice Mujuru and 11 ministers were sacked from their positions in Zanu PF and the government for allegedly plotting to kill Mugabe and replacing him with Mujuru.
Mujuru was accused of corruption and abuse of office.
Mutasa has been the most vocal of the fired members and has written to Sadc to have a look at the congress procedures.
On the other hand, Gumbo yesterday said he was still a Zanu PF member and supported Mutasa’s statement calling for the nullification of the party’s December congress.
Gumbo was initially suspended for five years, but was later fired from the party a few days before the congress on charges of conniving with Mujuru in a plot to unseat Mugabe.
He said he and several other vilified party officials, purged for their perceived association with Mujuru, were still operating and fighting for internal democracy from within Zanu PF.
“We want to revert to collective leadership,” he said.
“We have concentrated power on one person and we want to address that.
“We are operating within Zanu PF to find ways of addressing these issues.
“We have argued and said we want to keep the original Zanu PF and we agree with Cde Mutasa on that one.
“The party has departed from the principles and values of Zanu PF, so we are saying let’s return to the values of the party that brought democracy and one man, one vote.”
Gumbo said Zanu PF made a mistake of concentrating power in Mugabe in the last three decades and there was need to correct the anomaly.
The former Zanu PF spokesperson’s utterances come at a time some retired army officials and war veterans, who have also been victims of the Zanu PF purge, were reportedly burning the midnight oil in various provinces plotting to “rescue” the party from omafikizolo.
Mutasa’s statement has reportedly caused unease among Zanu PF members amid fears it could trigger a split in the party.
However, other party hardliners who include Manicaland Provincial Affairs minister Mandi Chimene and Information minister Moyo have dismissed Mutasa’s statements as inconsequential and a sign of desperation.
Political analyst Ibbo Mandaza said Mutasa’s statement was likely to shake the corridors of power in Zanu PF, as it was a direct challenge to both Mugabe and the congress outcome.
“They are saying the congress was null and void and that the pre-congress status quo should be retained,” he said.
“What happened before congress was the illegal dismantling of elected committees and irregular amendments to the constitution.”
He described Mutasa’s statement as “strong, well-written and obviously prepared by very qualified lawyers”.
Impeccable Zanu PF insiders yesterday said Mutasa’s statement came as a result of a series of meetings by party cadrés who felt the party had been hijacked by those who did not subscribe to the party’s ideologies.
Mujuru, who prior to her ouster appeared a strong contender to succeed Mugabe, has now reportedly extended an olive branch to former party gurus, among them Mavambo/Kusile/Dawn leader Simba Makoni and Zapu president Dumiso Dabengwa to form a grand coalition. – SouthernEye/Additional Reporting.
10 Replies to “Mujuru Gets Major Boost”
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IWE URI MUWONI CHAIYE. WELL VISIONED COMMENT! WE SEE FROM THE SAME GLASS
IWE URI MUWONI CHAIYE. WELL VISIONED COMMENT! WE SEE FROM THE SAME GLASS
ZANU PF is already under Mujuru. What Mugabe and Grace are holding on to is an empty shell of the party; vakabata vhunurwa. The real party is gone already. Where do you people think we have been all along? The army and the police are even ready to rebel; they are all on Mujuru’s side. Mugabe knows it, Ngwena knows it, Grace knows it. But what can they do about it? Nothing. The country is just about to witness a dramatic about turn right now. Keep watching and listening because the time has come! Bob is even considering not returning until Kasukuwere sorts out the mess he is accusing them to have started. Bob is now heaping all the blame on Opper and Kasukuwere and Kasukuwere is now frantically trying to control his faction members without success. He has now roped in Chigwedere to help him. But time is running out for them! At Herald house people have their passports in their bags, ready to run away. Meanwhile Ngwena is playing is cards close to his chest, maintaining that he was never involved in denigrating anyone. That’s the power of silence and strategy as employed by Mai Mujuru!
Zvimwe zvinhu zvinongodawo kufunga, common sense chaidzo!!…what does “COLLECTIVE LEADERSHIP” really mean?! Everybody being a leader?? All being equal?? Nobody calling the shots?? Everyone having equal power??
Common sense & logic will immediately question: is this practical?? is it really feasible?? Where in the world has such a weird arrangement ever been tried or implemented?? One inescapable fact is that everywhere, including nature, somebody or some animal has to be the “leader” and the others “followers”…in the home, church, music bands, companies, political parties, etc
Zvimwe zvinhu zvinongodawo kufunga, common sense chaidzo!!…what does “COLLECTIVE LEADERSHIP” really mean?! Everybody being a leader?? All being equal?? Nobody calling the shots?? Everyone having equal power??
Common sense & logic will immediately question: is this practical?? is it really feasible?? Where in the world has such a weird arrangement ever been tried or implemented?? One inescapable fact is that everywhere, including nature, somebody or some animal has to be the “leader” and the others “followers”…in the home, church, music bands, companies, political parties, etc
Unlike Ibbo Mandaza who thinks that Mutasa’s statement is going to shake the ZPF corridors of power, I think it’s actually a desperate storm in a tea cup…watch this space!!
Unlike Ibbo Mandaza who thinks that Mutasa’s statement is going to shake the ZPF corridors of power, I think it’s actually a desperate storm in a tea cup…watch this space!!
Mr Rugara Gumbo you are spot on , you people have concentrated power on one person Mugabe using all possible means to ensure this goes unchallenged. Once you challenge this undemocratic scenario then you are called dissidents. You people has destroyed beautiful Zimbabwe to rubble and everyone including Mutasa and Mujuru are co responsible for destroying Zimbabwe. Now Mutasa , Gumbo come out clean expose all the dirt , corruption, killing starting with Gukurawundi in Matebeleland, corruption, money laundering, land grab, nepotism, tribalism, given friends positions so then people of Matebelend will forgive you.
Mugabe has killed a lot of people and Mutasa has the registar of all those who were killed starting from Lookout Masuku, who ordered the CIO to poison him, come out Mutasa before you are also killed yourself reveal acid pool in a farm where Zapu comrades were thrown into without trace.
Mr Rugara Gumbo you are spot on , you people have concentrated power on one person Mugabe using all possible means to ensure this goes unchallenged. Once you challenge this undemocratic scenario then you are called dissidents. You people has destroyed beautiful Zimbabwe to rubble and everyone including Mutasa and Mujuru are co responsible for destroying Zimbabwe. Now Mutasa , Gumbo come out clean expose all the dirt , corruption, killing starting with Gukurawundi in Matebeleland, corruption, money laundering, land grab, nepotism, tribalism, given friends positions so then people of Matebelend will forgive you.
Mugabe has killed a lot of people and Mutasa has the registar of all those who were killed starting from Lookout Masuku, who ordered the CIO to poison him, come out Mutasa before you are also killed yourself reveal acid pool in a farm where Zapu comrades were thrown into without trace.
Why do all these people keep ‘worshipping’ Mugabe? No one can exonerate him from the demise of Zimbabwe. As the head he is going to be held responsible. What exactly has he done for this nation these last 15 years. look around you. Some might say land. But the WAY the land issue was executed brought Zimbabwe tumbling down. Everything in this nation is an absolute disaster. Does RGM have some sinister hold on all these people? He is just a man for goodness sake. I wish him no harm and I am not his judge: God is. But he is extremely bad for this nation. Is ZPF telling us that in 35 years there is not one other person in ZPF capable of leading that party. You have all become dependent on him because of your greed and misdeeds and now you are shackled and in bondage. RGM must be retired. End of story! ZPF are destroying themselves just as the Roman Empire did. They rotted from within.