Mnangagwa trio cleared of indiscipline

via Mnangagwa trio cleared of indiscipline – NewZimbabwe 23/01/2016

EMBATTLED Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s camp on Saturday heaved a sigh after three party politicians linked to the camp in Midlands were cleared on allegations of threatening three ministers belonging to a rival camp.

The three – Owen Muda Ncube, Justice Mayor Wadyajena and Edmore Samambwa – were recently arraigned before the Midlands disciplinary committee after the ministers wrote to the party commissariat complaining that they were being intimidated by the trio.

The ministers, Makhosini Hlongwane, in charge of the sports portfolio and deputy ministers Anastasia Ndlovu (tourism) and Tapiwa Matangaidze (Public Service) are linked to G40, a rival camp comprising so-called young Turks angling to take control of Zanu PF ahead of President Robert Mugabe’s anticipated exit from politics through advanced age or otherwise.

Wadyajena, Gokwe-Nembudziya MP, and his co-accused were also said to have chanted slogans denouncing G40, which is believed to be rooting for the First Lady Grace Mugabe to succeed her near 92-year-old husband.

They were put to their defence at the behest of party secretary for the commissariat Saviour Kasukuwere, who coincidentally fronts the G40 clique which also reportedly comprises Higher and Tertiary education minister Jonathan Moyo and President Mugabe’s nephew Patrick Zhuwao, in charge of Youth and Indigenisation.

But the Makenzie Ncube chaired disciplinary committee which was organised to try the trio, cleared them of the offences and further accused the three ministers of fabricating the allegations and dragging the First Family’s name into petty internal wars.

“The allegations are lacking in substantiation,” read the verdict, in part, which was also signed by secretary Colleta Mutambisi.

“The complainants sat down and connived to fabricate these allegations to paint a very negative picture of the Midlands province in the eyes of the first family.

“There was a clear desperate attempt by the complainants to try and involve the names of his Excellency, the President Cde Robert Mugabe and the First Lady Dr Grace Mugabe.”

Since the shock ouster of then Vice President Joice Mujuru and her backers in the party in the past year, battle fronts have shifted dramatically with Mnangagwa, the perceived victor in the last battle, now taking more blows.

Kasukuwere and his group have used their positions to pummel rivals in efforts to weaken the Mnangagwa power base.

Outspoken War veterans minister and Mnangagwa ally Christopher Mutsvangwa also received a vote of no confidence from his Mashonaland West province.

In Wadyajena’s case, it is not the first time he has been accused of an almost similar offence.

The legislator and party provincial secretary for administration in the youth league, was late last year accused of insulting the First Lady by another party loyalist Jimayi Muduvuri who alleged the controversial MP scolded him at a Zanu PF annual conference in Victoria Falls for displaying Grace’s picture on his vehicle.

Wadyajena who also chairs parliamentary portfolio committee on youth indigenisation and economic empowerment, has also thrown his own punches with a push last year to force disciplinary action on Kasukuwere for misleading parliament of community share ownership schemes when he was still indigenisation minister.