Terrence Mawawa, Masvingo | A decade after being humiliated by President Robert Mugabe for allegedly taking part in the Tsholotsho declaration, businessman Daniel Shumba, a staunch Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa ally has dumped the Team Lacoste to join Grace Mugabe’s G-40.
The Zanu PF Masvingo urban legislator and politburo member was sacked by Mugabe in 2004 alongside nine other provincial chairpersons for backing Mnangagwa for the post of VP ahead of Mugabe’s hot favourite Joice Mujuru.
In a surprise twist of events, Shumba last week withdrew the vehicle he had donated to the Team Lacoste and instead gave it to Zanu PF Provincial chairperson, Amasa Nhenjana, a G-40 senior official.
“Shumba has since crossed the floor to join the G-40 team led by the First Lady. So he retrieved the Mazda BT 50 vehicle from the Team Lacoste after being incensed by their attacks on Mrs Mugabe,” a Zanu PF source said.
Shumba has until recently been one of Mnangagwa’s key strategists.
Party insiders told Zimeye.com yesterday that Shumba’s withdrawal of resources from the Team Lacoste was a body blow that would weaken the Mnangagwa camp in the Masvingo Province a hotbed for Zanu-PF factional wars.
Party sources further revealed to ZimEye.com Shumba that retrieved his vehicle after being angered by the recent attacks on Mrs Mugabe.
“The whole thing emanated from the Nemamwa inter district meeting where Shumba clashed with senior party officials over the Grace Mugabe slogan issue,” the source further revealed.
Although Shumba could not be reached for comment, Nhenjana denied the claims as baseless and totally unfounded.
“I did not receive any vehicle from Shumba.I will be allocated a vehicle from the head office very soon. So the claims that I got a vehicle from Shumba are cheap and baseless,” said Nhenjana.