Muchinguri ‘tape’ rattles Zanu PF

via Muchinguri ‘tape’ rattles Zanu PF – NewsDay Zimbabwe July 4, 2015

KNIVES are out for Zanu PF politburo member Oppah Muchinguri after a party faction distributed an audio recording of a woman believed to be the Higher Education minister making disparaging remarks against top party officials, NewsDay has learnt.

The recording reportedly made at a meeting held on June 9, the day former Mines minister Amos Midzi committed suicide at his Munandi Farm in Beatrice, was allegedly recorded by one of the Zanu PF youths without Muchinguri’s knowledge. The meeting of youths mainly from Manicaland was reportedly held at a private house in Harare. According to sources, the Higher Education minister called the meeting to canvass for support from the party youths ahead of a provincial coordinating comittee (PCC) meeting which was set for today in Mutare, but was reportedly cancelled after the audio tape leaked.

NewsDay understands that the Muchinguri camp wanted to use the PCC meeting to “install” their loyalists in the provincial executive.

Thousands of discs of the recording were allegedly reproduced and were being distributed to senior ruling party members to pile pressure on President Robert Mugabe to take stern action against Muchinguri.

According to party officials, the audio recording was reportedly handed over to First Lady Grace Mugabe in Kadoma on Wednesday. The recording was also being distributed at other official Zanu PF functions.

One of the Youth League members who features prominently in the recording is Zanu PF Manicaland provincial chairman Kelvin Manyengavana.

In the recording, Muchinguri appeared to confirm that relations between particular ministers and senior party officials were frosty.

Responding to what seemed like leading questions, she confirmed that there were, people gossiping about her (Muchinguri) to the First Lady.

She said there were some officials spreading allegations that she was worse than ousted secretary for administration Didymus Mutasa, the former Manicaland political godfather whose place Muchinguri has now taken.

Muchinguri is allegedly heard in the recording telling the youths that Zanu PF national commissar Saviour Kasukuwere was saying all the bad things about her to the First Lady, but boasted that she was a survivor.

The well-placed sources said the matter had been referred to Grace for action. The recording followed allegations that Muchinguri was plotting particularly against deputy youth secretary Kudzai Chipanga, Manicaland Provincial Affairs minister Mandiitawepi Chimene and newly elected Zanu PF Chikanga-Dangamvura MP Esau Mupfumi.

She was also accused of interfering with other organs of the party. She is heard saying the rival camp must be destroyed before the 2018 election.

“We will trip him (a named politician),” she boasted in the recording.

In the 45-minute clip, she is also heard saying she will draw her rivals closer, but strike them when they least expected it.
The politburo member boasts of being a pretender, the Machiavellian way.

She also disclosed that Mugabe was very unhappy with the manner Chimene was conducting herself in Manicaland Province alleging the 91-year-old leader regretted his decision to appoint her.

“President Mugabe said it was the worst mistake he has ever done in his life in appointing Chimene,” the politician is heard saying.

In the recording, Mugabe was said to have been told that one of his top female officials was not serious and loved smoking dagga.

Efforts to get a comment from Muchinguri hit a snag as she dropped calls each time the NewsDay reporter identified himself for a comment from her since Thursday. She also did not respond to a text message sent to her mobile phone on the matter.

Party officials said Muchinguri had her own ambitions to rise to the Presidium and was in the process of creating a political base in Manicaland before launching a national campaign.

“Fights emanate from the manner in which Muchinguri is saying she was not rewarded for her influential campaign to oust former Vice-President Joice Mujuru,” the sources said.

“Muchinguri is not happy that she was not rewarded for de-campaigning Mujuru last year towards the Zanu PF congress. Therefore, she is hatching a fight back plan and in that plan she wants total control over other provinces starting with Manicaland so that she will use it as a bargaining tool for anyone who wants to be in influential positions of the national leadership.”

Another source said: “In this plan Muchinguri is also trying to silence and ensure that all her perceived political enemies are de-campaigned.”

Muchinguri was allegedly part of the so-called Gang of Four that was seen as the power behind the rise of Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa and the fall of Mujuru. Chimene said she was looking for the recording first before she could comment on the matter.

“I haven’t heard about that. If you have a copy of that can you please give me,” she said.

Zanu PF national spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo also professed ignorance about the recording.

“I have no idea at all on that. I cannot speak on what I haven’t seen,” he said. Kasukuwere confirmed the postponement of the PCC meeting in Mutare “probably due to provincial elections in Mashonaland East”, but could not comment on the alleged recording.

Both Zanu PF Manicaland provincial chairman Samuel Undenge and Manyengavana were not reachable.