Source: Mutodi faces the chop – DailyNews Live
Tendai Kamhungira 8 February 2017
HARARE – The Zanu PF Mashonaland East provincial executive has summoned
Energy Mutodi – an avowed Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa ally – to
appear before a disciplinary committee.
The musician-cum-politician faces a slew of charges, including undermining
congress resolutions.
He stands accused of going against the party’s December 2016 Masvingo
annual congress resolution to declare President Robert Mugabe Zanu PF’s
2018 election presidential candidate.
Over the past weeks, Mutodi has been very vocal on the need for the party
to hold an extraordinary congress to replace soon-to-be 93 years old
Mugabe ahead of the polls.
Zanu PF’s Mashonaland East province acting secretary for administration,
David Musabayana, has since written to Mutodi ordering him to appear
before a disciplinary committee on March 3, 2017.
According to the February 4, 2017 letter, Mutodi is accused of disloyalty,
failure to strengthen, promote and defend the party as well as bringing it
into disrepute.
“The hearing is to consider and discuss disciplinary allegations of
misconduct charges that follow: undermining the authority and powers of
the National People’s Conference to declare the president of the party
elected at the Congress as the State presidential candidate of the party
as outlined in the Zanu PF Constitution of 2014, Article 6 on membership
section 33 (3),” the letter read.
“If you are found guilty of the allegations . . . then we may recommend
disciplinary sanctions up to and including suspension and cancellation of
your Zanu PF membership,” Musabayana said.
Mutodi was also barred from carrying out any activities for and on behalf
of the party, until finalisation of his disciplinary case.
“You are also prohibited immediately from holding any party post or engage
in party meetings pending the outcome of your disciplinary hearing
pencilled for the 3rd of March 2017,” he said.
“Your failure to respect the prohibition order or attempts to disregard
the same may be deemed to be an act of insubordination and the relevant
sections of the 2014 Zanu PF constitution will be invoked,” Musabayana
said.
Contacted for comment on the current political developments pertaining to
the disciplinary hearing, Mutodi refused to comment, saying the matter was
still before a disciplinary panel and was therefore sub judice.
Zanu PF is currently embroiled in serious factional fights pitting
Generation 40 (G40) and Team Lacoste.
Mutodi, together with some war veterans, are largely seen as Team Lacoste
members and have been calling for Mugabe to step down to make way for
Mnangagwa while those in the rival G40 camp are fighting tooth and nail to
block the Midlands godfather’s ascendancy.
Following these calls, Zanu PF youth leader Kudzanai Chipanga described
all those calling for Mugabe to step down as day-dreamers, declaring Zanu
PF youths’ intention to even take up arms to defend the nonagenarian
leader who turns 93 this month.
A top Zanu PF official who spoke on condition of anonymity said it was
highly likely that Mutodi would be expelled and the hearing was just a
mere formality.
“The decision has already been made. The issue is to silence all the
voices asking for the retirement of Mugabe. It’s very unfortunate that the
party has failed to accommodate the young who, for obvious reasons, see
themselves disadvantaged by the nonagenarian’s destructive policies,” the
official said, adding that the G40 was aimed at eliminating all
Mnangagwa’s perceived sympathisers from the party.
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