Navigation You are here: Home > Knives out for Mutasa in Manicaland Knives out for Mutasa in Manicaland April 7, 2013 in PoliticsKNIVES are out for Zanu PF secretary for administration, Didymus Mutasa with information emerging that some senior officials from Manicaland province want to petition President Robert Mugabe to fire him.Report by Patrice MakovaSources told The Standard yesterday that a storm is already brewing in Zanu PF, after information was leaked that several senior officials allegedly held a secret meeting in Mutare on Friday night to discuss the ouster of Mutasa, accusing him of destroying the party in Manicaland.As jostling for both the control of Manicaland and succession of Mugabe intensified ahead of forthcoming elections, a senior Zanu PF official said Mutasa was being accused of causing divisions through alleged imposition of candidates and dictatorial practices.“They were saying Zanu PF is now dead in Manicaland because of Mutasa,” said the official. A petition is now being drafted to be presented to Mugabe so that he is toppled as secretary for administration and replaced by another politburo member from here.”Another official said Mutasa was also being blamed for Zanu PF’s loss in Manicaland in the 2008 elections.He was also being accused of instigating the recent investigation of provincial chairman Mike Madiro on allegations of defrauding diamond mining companies and his subsequent suspension.Madiro is expected to appear in court tomorrow over the allegations.“The idea of the meeting was to convince Mugabe that Zanu PF will lose dismally in the forthcoming elections if Mutasa is not put on a leash,” said another official. “However, our worry is that the meeting was held in secret and our understanding is that it was chaired by a member currently on suspension.”The official likened the meeting to the so-called Tsholotsho Declaration of 2004, where several top Zanu PF officials were accused of plotting a de facto coup against Mugabe.Mugabe last year admitted that factionalism cost Zanu PF 20 of the 26 seats in Manicaland which went to the MDC-T.Mutasa is the most senior Zanu PF official in Manicaland and is sometimes touted as a potential candidate for the vice-president’s post, left vacant after the recent death of John Nkomo. Currently he is the fourth most senior Zanu PF official after Mugabe, Vice-President Joice Mujuru and party national chairman Simon Khaya Moyo.According to the sources, the meeting was allegedly held at Zanu PF’s women’s league boss Oppah Muchinguri’s upmarket Murambi home.Other senior officials who allegedly attended the meeting include Justice minister Patrick Chinamasa, deputy Minister of Energy, Hubert Nyanhongo, Madiro, acting chairperson Dorothy Mabika, Buhera North legislator and businessman William Mutomba and war veterans leader Joseph Chinotimba.Most of the officials who met were said to be sympathetic to the Zanu PF faction loyal to Defence minister Emmerson Mnangagwa. The faction is battling with another loyal to Mujuru in the battle to succeed 89-year-old Mugabe.Mutomba confirmed the meeting indeed took place.The Buhera MP said he had told the meeting that the issue [petition] should not be made public before Mutasa was given a chance to respond to the allegations and defend himself.“I do not want to back bite people, but my view was that the issue should go to the leadership before being published in the press so that those being talked about can present their position,” said Mutomba.Madiro yesterday professed ignorance of the meeting. “I don’t know anything about a meeting. In politics people can say anything, but as far as I am concerned I do not know anything [about the supposed meeting],” he said.Nyanhongo refused to speak to The Standard saying he was attending a memorial service out of Harare.Chinamasa’s and Chinotimba’s phones were not available.Mutasa said he had heard from several people that such a meeting took place, but had not paid much attention to the reports.“They are welcome [to petition Mugabe] if that is what they want,” he said. “But it’s just a handful of people. I do not think it’s the view of the majority.”He said allegations being levelled against him were personal views of a few individuals which could be best answered by those accusing him.Mutasa said he was also surprised that politburo members could have agreed to be chaired by a suspended member.Zanu PF spokesperson, Rugare Gumbo said reports that such a meeting took place were disturbing.“I have no idea and knowledge about the meeting,” he said. “But if it has indeed taken place, then I am surprised that people are not following party procedures. I don’t know what’s going on there. By Monday I will have gotten to the bottom of the problem.”Zanu PF goes to the elections deeply divided with members of the Mujuru and Mnangagwa faction positioning themselves to succeed 89-year-old Mugabe.Both Mujuru and Mnangagwa have denied leading factions in the party. But Mugabe last year confirmed the existence of the factions, warning this threatened to destabilise the party.No meeting took place—MuchinguriOppah Muchinguri yesterday professed ignorance of the meeting. “Right now I am at my farm in Nyazura and I am not aware of any meeting that took place,” she said.Muchinguri said as a seasoned politician she knew the proper channels to resolve internal party problems, including involving Moyo as the national chairman.“I am mature after fighting in the liberation struggle,” she said. “These people telling you such things do not know the real issues. We are dealing with people who are power hungry and I am afraid that the enemy may have infiltrated us.”Muchinguri said she had nothing against Mutasa and respected the entire party leadership.She said whenever there were problems in Manicaland these were addressed through the provincial coordinating committee meetings where party officials were free to democratically say whatever they wanted. Hay bailing project to empower Mutasa small-holder farmersLevel two coaching course for MutareRecovery programme boon for small-holder farmersMutasa defends partisan armyQuote of the week‘Chaos is in DeMbare’s DNA’MPs threaten Mugabe ahead of polls 16 Responses to Knives out for Mutasa in Manicaland Chikanga April 7, 2013 at 9:53 am#Ropa remutema, Christpower who reaally killed the innocent boy?PhilaniNcube April 7, 2013 at 11:25 am #Ah let them get read of himpaurosi mwanangu April 7, 2013 at 11:38 am #It is no secret that because of proximity to Mozambique Manicaland provided the largest number of foot soldiers in the war of liberation and that the bulk of people in the refugee camps which were bombed by tha Rhodesian army were from schools close to the border with Mozambique yet Manicaland continues to be down trodden. It is no secret all influential decision making positions in government from the military to intelligence and the police are held by people from Mashonaland and that not one person frm Manicaland holds any position of substance. Manicaland has not benefited from even its own natural resources which individuals and syndicates from other provinces continue to exploit. Dydimus Mutasa has allowed himself to be used against his own people in exchange for promises that he will be elevated to position of Vice President in the event that Mugabe leaves officeChris Black April 8, 2013 at 12:27 am #Paurosi, Not sure what you’re on about here. Can you tell me how people in Mashonaland have benefited?The whole of Zimbabwe has not benefited at all so stop your tribalistic utterances! We’re one people and we are all suffering because of a few zpf zealots who are milking the country dry. That includes those from Manicaland.Broaden your mind.paurosi mwanangu April 11, 2013 at 8:41 pm #@chris black. Son I understand what u ar failing to say. This is Africa and the name of the game is spelt POLITICSBlack Crow April 7, 2013 at 11:50 am #did they hold the meeting in the name of zanu pf? if it was not held in the name of their party then we cannot talk of party procedure. are we saying people should not meet as “friends” just because they belong to a particular party. so should meetings of “friends” be cleared by their organisation? very interesting development from the eastern highlands. vampires are now on each others throats.Blood suckers!adzo April 7, 2013 at 12:36 pm #Kikikikikikiki.pwapwapwapwa.Mutasa is destroying the party and must be ousted.Asi kutya Mugabe here vanhu ava?Ndiye akauraya agriculture sector yedu Mugabe nekupa mafarms kuvanhu vasingagone kurima.Nyoka inosimbira kutete.Vakadzi vaMugabe ava so.cynthia April 7, 2013 at 5:56 pm #Shamwari I am surprised to find kune vanhu vachiri kufunga it was wrong to reinstate the blackman’s ownership to land. You might hate Mugabe and love Mandela but indeed who has done more for black people between Mugabe and Mandela? Zvimwe onaiwokefasi we Madetere April 7, 2013 at 2:01 pm #I agree with Paurosi. It is a fact that the majority of zezuru who now claim to be Zanu were in fact Zapu until the 70s when they slowly infiltrated Zanu whose membership was generally manyika and they eventually disposed Ndabaningi and imposed the zezuru into leadership. It is generally agreed amongst themselves that positions of leadership should remain Zezurupaurosi mwanangu April 7, 2013 at 2:04 pm #ICHO!!!ngwena April 7, 2013 at 4:48 pm #icho chatsvukacynthia April 7, 2013 at 5:44 pm #I wldnt agree less wit paurosi and kefasi (funny names) who is Didimus? Who knows his liberation war credentials? The guy is just a chancer who rode on the back of his brother the late John Mutasa”s contribution to the Zanu cause. Manicaland will only remember him for many farms lots of wifes and selling out the ppl of Mnclnd just like Nyati did during the struggle. I agree Zanu Pf has to bite the bullet and fire Mutasa together with Poru, Mutezo, Kanzama, Made, Nyabadza to survive the elections in Mnclnd. Yes Icho indeed Charira!paurosi mwanangu April 7, 2013 at 6:04 pm #Cynthia for a woman unofunga tora airhug msikanapaurosi mwanangu April 7, 2013 at 9:02 pm #Male chauvinist are you implying women do not thinktamuka gamu April 8, 2013 at 10:43 am #Nyati batai vana Oppah Vakatidyira mari kuCapital Base musamusiye ndiye akaita Official openining yeCapital base achiziva kuti varikuda kubira vanhu mari kuzoitisa maCampaigns ake hezvo vanhu vanyudzwa maMillion vachishandisa vana Solomy Kambunda kubira Povo. Aurayawo musangano nekubira PovoDaddy April 10, 2013 at 4:50 am #Mtasa’s actions prove to me that he is gunning support for mdc-t in the name of znpf. In makoni north he destroyed the cnsttncy and we dont want to see him there and nw he has destroyed headlands. Better aendeSubscribe to The Standard nowSubscribeLegal:CopyrightDisclaimerPrivacy PolicyTerms and ConditionsOur Partners:Zimbabwe IndependentNewsDayMail & GuardianCategories:LocalOpinionEditorialInternationalLettersCartoonsThe Standard:About usContact usSubscribeAdvertise© 2013 The Zimind. All Rights reserved.
Posted on: Wed, 17 Jul 2013 19:36:13 +0000
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