Source: ‘Time to cut Tyson loose’ – DailyNews Live
Mugove Tafirenyika 26 May 2017
HARARE – As the unrelenting pressure being exerted on under-fire Zanu PF
national political commissar Saviour Kasukuwere (pictured) continues to
mount, angry war veterans say it is time he is “cut loose” to save the
ruling party from imploding.
Speaking to the Daily News yesterday, voluble war veterans leader and
former Cabinet minister, Christopher Mutsvangwa, said it was high time
that Zanu PF acted “decisively” against Kasukuwere before “irreparable
damage” was done to the deeply-divided ruling party.
Mutsvangwa’s call came following Kasukuwere’s announcement earlier this
week of the hotly-debated decision to bar an ex-intelligence operative,
Pearson Mbalekwa, from participating in the impending Chiwundura
by-election – and as the former liberation movement’s ugly tribal,
factional and succession wars continue to escalate.
Mutsvangwa said the Mbalekwa decision had been taken in an unprocedural
manner, adding that Kasukuwere was “now behaving like the owner of Zanu
PF”.
“That is (Mbalekwa decision) an abuse of power and personalisation of Zanu
PF by a clueless and disorderly G40 (Generation 40),” Mutsvangwa said,
referring to the Zanu PF faction which is rabidly opposed to Vice
President Emmerson Mnangagwa succeeding Mugabe.
“Why does Tyson (Kasukuwere’s nickname) also issue a statement from a
foreign country (he is in Mexico with Mugabe)? There ought to be an
acting PC (political commissar).
“Kufa kwemujoni company haivharwi (Work does not stop because the boss is
not there or has died).
“Even the president does not do that. He leaves behind an acting president
when he travels. For security and protocol, pronouncements of State have
to be issued from the seat of power. What if Kasukuwere is kidnapped in a
foreign land and is under duress?
“Crass ignorance and compulsive dictatorial proclivity to the abuse of
State power is the hallmark of G40,” added the garrulous Mutsvangwa.
Mutsvangwa also attacked Kasukuwere earlier this week – claiming that the
G40 was nearing its end, following the ongoing and relentless assault on
its leaders by Mnangagwa’s backers, Team Lacoste.
“The end is definitely nigh for the G40 cabal and its diabolic power grab
pretences. The inescapable reality is that the G40 is facing its waterloo.
Its organisational paucity has been exposed glaringly.
“And the people of Zimbabwe are poised to mete out terrible punishment to
these would-be power grabbers for their crimes that delivered an economic
meltdown unprecedented for a peacetime nation,” he said then.
Mutsvangwa also said the current onslaught on Kasukuwere – who insiders
claim is one of the G40 kingpins – was “a sign” that the faction was
nearing its end.
“The drowning Kasukuwere … has long been the bete noire of the war
veterans association … This political charade has finally run out of its
course.
“It has been a torrid season (for the G40), with the (Jacob) Mudenda
inquiry, the vote of no confidence by 10 party provinces and the thorough
drubbing of the G40 pretender by chairman (Ezra) Chadzamira in the
Masvingo party provincial elections,” he said.
Kasukuwere has been fighting to save his political career over the past
few weeks, with his Zanu PF enemies pushing for his ouster from both his
party and government positions, over a raft of charges which include
allegedly plotting to topple Mugabe from power.
Also under fire has been his brother Dickson Mafios, who is the acting
Zanu PF chairperson for Mashonaland Central.
Kasukuwere’s fate was set to be decided at last week’s postponed politburo
meeting, after a probe team appointed by Mugabe to investigate allegations
against him had completed its work.
Insiders have also previously told the Daily News that Kasukuwere’s party
rivals are “systematically working for his demise” – in the same manner
former Vice President Joice Mujuru was chased out of the warring former
liberation movement in 2014.
Nicknamed Tyson for his combative style of politics, Kasukuwere on Tuesday
ordered Zanu PF’s Midlands Province to overlook Mbalekwa for the
forthcoming Chiwundura by-election – which became vacant last month
following the death of Kizito Chivamba.
“The party received names from the contestants who were prepared to stand
in the Midlands Province. Out of the 21 candidates, 20 were approved by
the party and … Mbalekwa’s application was turned down for various
reasons.
“That is the position of the party. So, whoever emerged at the top,
outside the candidature of Mbalekwa will stand for the party,”
Kasukuwere, who is attending the 2017 Global Platform for Disaster Risk
Reduction Conference with Mugabe in Mexico, said.
Mbalekwa who was sacked from Zanu PF after the so-called Tsholotsho
Declaration in 2004, in which Mnangagwa was then accused of organising a
palace coup against Mugabe, had triumphed in the party’s primaries.
A former intelligence operative, Mbalekwa joined opposition leader Morgan
Tsvangirai’s MDC, before being elected MP for Zvishavane in 2008.
His closest rival, Brown Ndlovu, has now been chosen to represent Zanu PF
in the impending mini-poll, following the withdrawal of Mbalekwa.
Mbalekwa told the Daily News yesterday that he had withdrawn after the
“sudden illness” of his daughter, which allegedly happened after he had
won the party’s primary elections.
“I only received the news of my child’s illness at midday on Tuesday, well
after the election. So, I had no choice but to withdraw because I realised
I could not cope under the circumstances,” he said.
Midlands is one of the nine provinces that have passed a vote of no
confidence in Kasukuwere, and is said to be a Team Lacoste stronghold.
Meanwhile, Midlands Province has accused Kasukuwere of trying to settle
political scores, as Mbalekwa had been cleared and re-admitted into the
party in 2013.
“Mbalekwa re-joined the party and was rehabilitated. Charges from
Tsholotsho do not stick because if we were to use that as a yard stick
then Jonathan Moyo should not be a minister and member of the politburo.
“Similarly, Daniel Shumba would not be an MP and chairman of a
parliamentary portfolio committee, and July Moyo would not be deputy
secretary for administration, and Mark Madiro would not have been a member
of the central committee.
“All these people were once expelled for their alleged involvement in the
Tsholotsho meeting. But after serving their suspensions, they were
re-admitted into the party and were rehabilitated,” a senior official told
the Daily News in the aftermath of Kasukuwere’s directive.
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