Terrence Mawawa, Bikita | The First Lady Grace Mugabe hand picked Zanu PF Provincial chairman for Masvingo, Amasa Nhenjana, was last week attacked by drunk youths ahead of Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s visit to Bikita.

As the Zanu PF factional battles continue to escalate, Nhenjana was assaulted by drunk party youth as he was addressing a closed door briefing ahead of Mnangagwa’s visit.

Nhenjana is fighting in Mrs Mugabe’s corner and party insiders say the Zanu PF provincial boss is pushing her agenda at all costs.

Party sources told ZimEye.com the drunk youths accused Nhanjana of working with the G-40 to discredit Mnangagwa. “Nhenjana was beaten up by party youths during a closed door briefing in Bikita before Mnangagwa’s rally.The youths pushed and shoved him before assaulting him. He was visibly crestfallen after the incident,”said a party source.

Nhenjana however, downplayed the incident saying the party youths only disrupted the briefing pushed him and threatened to assault him. “We were having a meeting prior to Acting President Mnangagwa’s visit. Obvious Madzivanyika came into the room we were holding the meeting and provoked me.I knew he had a group of youths outside the building. He even came with his hands in his pocket and I advised him to excuse us since we had a crucial briefing but he refused to leave the room,”said Nhenjana.

He added:”At the end of the meeting he charged at me and began to push me.As a result there was commotion.I restrained myself from retaliating because I knew he had been sent by some people to provoke me. I also knew that he was not alone.” Nhenjana claimed very senior politicians were battling to discredit him at every given opportunity since he was perceived to be an impediment to their ascendancy.