Dark clouds hang over Kasukuwere

Source: Dark clouds hang over Kasukuwere – DailyNews Live

Fungi Kwaramba      2 June 2017

HARARE – Dark clouds are hanging over embattled Zanu PF political
commissar Saviour Kasukuwere after Mashonaland Central provincial affairs
minister Martin Dinha yesterday ominously warned that his political career
was “finished” despite the party having not yet decided on allegations
raised against him by its provincial leaders.

Dinha, who has consistently claimed he is close to the First Family,
described Kasukuwere as a “lame duck” who tried unsuccessfully to usurp
power from President Robert Mugabe through the Generation 40 (G40)
faction.

Zanu PF insiders have claimed that Kasukuwere and Higher and Tertiary
Education minister Jonathan Moyo are two of the kingpins of the G40
faction which is fiercely opposed to Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa
succeeding Mugabe.

Both ministers have repeatedly batted away these claims.

Yesterday, Dinha told the Daily News that Kasukuwere had reached his “best
before” date in Zanu PF and was now only surviving on the goodwill of
Mugabe.

“Apera uyo (he is finished) he has always been coming for me, remember
they even wanted me behind bars …pandiri ndopaachaperera. Angova
chidhadha chisisina manhenga, (he is finished politically and is now just
a plucked duck).

“Tyson is now on the ropes. We have finished him, now people know that the
owl has no horns.

“The hunter is now the hunted, his networks have been exposed and
politically, he is battered. He is now at the mercy of baba naamai (Mugabe
and Grace) whom he was gradually undermining and whose power he was
usurping, creating his own power base. He is under pressure,” Dinha said.

“He is used to be the one throwing missiles at others. Strategic objective
number one was attained which was to expose G40 and put in check the
destructive ambitions of this cabal.

“Now they are running naked and scared and exposed. Secondly we have re
-asserted the centre of authority where it should be- kwa baba naamai
(first family).

“He is no longer a threat to the throne or even a contender for the
coveted seat because he is disgraced and has been rejected by the
mainstream Zanu PF,” added Dinha, without holding anything back.

Kasukuwere yesterday told the Daily News, after officiating at an event
held at his offices that he was not going to comment on claims made by
Dinha.

“Dinha, no, I am not entertaining that,” he said before walking away.

Dinha and Kasukuwere’s rows have escalated ever since the Local Government
minister was put on political notice in April by irate party supporters
who want him jettisoned from his influential post over a slew of
allegations which include untested claims of wanting to topple Mugabe.

Kasukuwere has denied all the charges levelled against him – maintaining
that he holds unquestionable loyalty to Mugabe and his influential wife,
Grace.

He accuses a rival faction, Team Lacoste, of trying to engineer his
downfall through these accusations which he says are trumped up.

Team Lacoste has previously accused Kasukuwere of purging its officials in
the party restructuring allegedly to further his own interests.

Two months ago, he suffered the surprising spectacle of witnessing
demonstrations against him in his Mashonaland Central home province, as
angry supporters demanded, among other things, that the party recalls him
on bizarre charges of attempting to unseat Mugabe.

Since then he has been fighting to save his political career, with his
Zanu PF enemies pushing for his ouster from both his party and government
positions.

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 month’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.

The latest row between Kasukuwere and Dinha comes as Mugabe is scheduled
to hold a big rally in Marondera today as part of his nationwide tour of
provinces in preparation for next year’s watershed elections.

However, sources have said the increasingly frail nonagenarian would also
use all his forthcoming rallies “to deal with internal dissent” – as part
of stamping his authority on the continuing mindless bloodletting by his
lieutenants.

Political analysts yesterday told the Daily News that it wasn’t a foregone
conclusion that Kasukuwere was going to be jettisoned from his post of
political commissar.

“It appears that Martin Dinha thinks his proximity to Amai Mugabe, whom he
offered land in Mash Central Province including the controversial Arnold
farm, gives him some authority to write an obituary on Kasukuwere’s
political career.

“But he is clearly mistaken, Zanu PF is far more complex that Dinha
imagines. Even with provinces passing resolutions on Kasukuwere to go, it
is Mugabe who has the final word.

“Without Mugabe’s approval nothing will happen to Kasukuwere and, as
elections approach Mugabe will want to keep the party together and act
only after elections in 2018,” political analyst, Dewa Mavhinga, told the
Daily News.

The G40 faction has for some time now been described as being “at sixes
and sevens”, following the growing pressure that has been brought to bear
on its leading figures.

Sources have also previously told the Daily News that Zanu PF’s ever-fluid
factional and succession politics were changing gear again, as there was
now an apparent realignment of alliances within the warring former
liberation movement – as Mnangagwa’s allies cranked up their assault on
the G40.

Mugabe’s failure to resolve Zanu PF’s thorny succession riddle is fuelling
the ruling party’s deadly infighting, which is worsening by the day.

The 93-year-old has studiously refused to name a successor, insisting that
the party’s congress has that mandate: to choose a person of their own
choice.