‘Reckless’ Mutsvangwa to be disciplined

via ‘Reckless’ Mutsvangwa to be disciplined 19 August 2014

DEPUTY Foreign Affairs Minister Christopher Mutsvangwa faces disciplinary action for his vicious attack on Vice-President Joice Mujuru and her key ally Didymus Mutasa, the party’s national spokesman said Tuesday.

“This is an internal issue and it will be dealt with following the party’s rules and regulations as laid down in the procedures and action will be taken accordingly,” Rugare Gumbo told state television.

In an interview with the Herald last week, Mutsvangwa questioned Mujuru’s celebrated war record revealing that claims she shot down a Rhodesian helicopter were a lie cobbled up by Webster Shamu, who was part of the Zanu progaganda team during the war.

The junior minister also said Mujuru must not consider her claim for the presidency anymore superior than her rivals because her presence in government was down to President Robert Mugabe’s favour and not any exceptional qualities on her part.

Saving his most brutal attack for Mutasa, Mutsvangwa made clear he spoke as a member of a key group of the liberation war cadres.

“I emphasise I speak as a war veteran from the 1973-78 generation which went on to accord the national liberation war that critical mass and qualitative leap to dispense with racist colonial Rhodesia,” he said.

Mutsvangwa said Mutasa “never had anything do with the critical 1973-80 period of the armed struggle” and was now trying to “displace or bypass those that were engaged in the most critical 1973-1980 period of the national liberation struggle”.

“Mutasa is busy misleading the gullible and the ambitious that he is kingmaker. Yet he only has his vacuous war record to offer. He will surely fail and the blinking followers will only end up in trouble courtesy of their folly,” said the outspoken former envoy to China.

An angry Mutasa rejected the allegations adding his war record was in the public domain. He threatened to expose Mutsvangwa but said responding any further “would only save to dignify nonsense”.

“I love and respect Baba Mugabe and for anyone to suggest that I would want to challenge his leadership shows a high degree of madness. I am not like that, I am not that kind of person,” he added.

Gumbo however said Mutsvangwa was out of line.
“What war veteran Mutsvangwa said is uncalled for and not expected from someone who has been in the party for that long, he knows how to communicate if he has any issues with his leadership,” he told the ZBC.

Zanu PF holds its elective congress in December and turf wars between rival factions backing Mujuru and Justice Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa for the top job have intensified in the lead-up to the conference.

Mutsvangwa is understood to be in the Mnangagwa faction while Mutasa has openly stated he wants Mujuru to take over after Mugabe.