Source: Mukupe, Gumbo renew Harare East fight – NewsDay Zimbabwe April 25, 2018
FINANCE deputy minister Terence Mukupe has described his fight against Mavis Gumbo and others for a Zanu PF ticket to represent Harare East constituency in the forthcoming harmonised elections as a reincarnation of the Team Lacoste and G40 factional fight.
BY XOLISANI NCUBE
Mukupe, who was elected Harare East MP following a by-election held in 2015 after the recall of Tendai Biti by the MDC-T, posted on Twitter that he had been betrayed as he would face opponents who were fighting against him during Zanu PF factional fights last year.
“Betrayed, wasting resources to fight the same G40 functionary that got me expelled from Zanu PF,” Mukupe wrote.
Gumbo, before the military take-over last November, was allegedly linked to the G40 faction which backed former First Lady Grace Mugabe and was opposed to then Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Attempts to get her out of Zanu PF structures failed after the women’s league said Gumbo was on an assignment as she was said to be a member of the Central Intelligence Organisation, hence, her association with G40.
In the build-up to the 2015 by-elections, self-exiled ex-Zanu PF political commissar Saviour Kasukuwere backed Mukupe ahead of Gumbo, who had the support of then party secretary for administration Ignatius Chombo.
The relationship between Kasukuwere and Mukupe turned sour due to a failed land deal and he became one of his political adversaries – baying for the former minister’s head.
In the primary polls, Mukupe faces Gumbo – the 2013 Zanu PF losing candidate.
Contacted for comment Gumbo said: “I cannot comment on what is alleged by Mukupe, history is known and let Zanu PF structures speak who they want this coming weekend.”
Another Zanu PF aspiring candidate who seems to have expressed dismay after the release of the candidates list was Godfrey Tsenengamu who posted on Facebook that he had been betrayed.
Yesterday, the Mt Darwin South aspiring MP said his post had nothing to do with politics.
“It’s a family issue. Not all things I say have a political connection, some would be family betrays,” he said.
The Zanu PF youth league political commissar was one of the few youths who campaigned for Mnangagwa while the ex-VP was in trouble with ex-President Robert Mugabe’s supporters and was even expelled for standing with the now President.
In the Zanu PF primaries, Tsenengamu is set to face 20 candidates among them two ZBC journalists, Tendai Munengwa, Andrew Neshamba and businessman, James Makamba.
“I will face Makamba and everyone in the primary elections. I am not afraid of anyone. So the post of betrayal has nothing to do with politics,” he said.
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