No split in Zanu-PF, says Mnangagwa Acting President Emmerson Mnangagwa, Cde Prisca Mupfumira and ZCC Bishop Nehemiah Mutendi (right) after the unveiling of a plaque at Trabablas Historical Tourism Enshrinement at Masvingo Railway Station recenty
Acting President Emmerson Mnangagwa, Cde Prisca Mupfumira and ZCC Bishop Nehemiah Mutendi (right) after the unveiling of a plaque at Trabablas Historical Tourism Enshrinement at Masvingo Railway Station yesterday

Acting President Emmerson Mnangagwa, Cde Prisca Mupfumira and ZCC Bishop Nehemiah Mutendi (right) after the unveiling of a plaque at Trabablas Historical Tourism Enshrinement at Masvingo Railway Station yesterday

George Maponga in MASVINGO
Acting President Emmerson Mnangagwa has dismissed claims that there is an imminent split in Zanu-PF, saying members of the putschist cabal fronted by former Vice President Dr Joice Mujuru did not voluntarily leave the ruling party, but were fired for failing to toe the party line.

He said Dr Mujuru and her followers such as expelled former Zanu-PF secretary for Administration Mr Didymus Mutasa were lying that there was now a split in Zanu-PF.

Addressing thousands of Zanu-PF supporters at Mucheke Stadium yesterday at his first star rally in Masvingo after ascending to the Vice Presidency, Acting President Mnangagwa said those wishing for a split in the ruling party were daydreaming.

He said members of the Mujuru cabal were fired from Zanu-PF for trying to depose President Mugabe ahead of last year’s National People’s Congress.

The putschist cabal recently announced plans to form a new political party to be named Zanu People First which they claim would be the original Zanu-PF different from the hierarchy that emerged after last year’s congress.

“Zanu-PF is a revolutionary party, if you do not toe the party line you get fired,” said Acting President Mnangagwa. “I want to make it very clear today that there is no split in Zanu-PF, but there are some people who were fired. People like Runaida (Dr Joice Mujuru’s middle name), Didymus (Mutasa) and Rugare (Gumbo), they did not leave the party, but they were fired. In Zanu-PF, people get fired one by one,’’ he said.

“Runaida akadzingwa, Didymus akadzingwa, but they lie that there is now a split in Zanu-PF. That is not true, the truth is that they were fired.’’

Acting President Mnangagwa described members of the putschist cabal as “small dogs’’ that were wasting their time against the invincible Zanu-PF that he equated to an “elephant”.

He warned that those who breached party rules risked being punished as Zanu-PF would not collapse because it was a tried and tested revolutionary party with a track record dating back to the liberation struggle.

“If you get too excited in Zanu-PF you will be punished and the party will continue to move on and on,” he said. “The revolution will continue to unfold under the stewardship of Zanu-PF and those who oppose the party will fall by the wayside.

“Zanu-PF is like an elephant which when it is strolling, small dogs like Didymus and company just bark at it, but without doing anything. This great party will continue to exist well into the future.’’

Acting President Mnangagwa said there were some few trouble-causers such as fired former Zanu-PF Hurungwe West Member of Parliament Mr Temba Mliswa who wanted to mislead people by taking the ruling party to court.

He said such attempts were exercises in futility aimed at causing mayhem in the ruling party.

Acting President Mnangagwa said it was preposterous for Mr Mutasa and his allies to challenge the legitimacy of last year’s National People’s Congress as they were not barred from attending the event where the new Zanu-PF leadership was ushered into office.

He said Dr Mujuru did not turn up at the congress on her own, while Mr Mutasa’s position in the top leadership of Zanu-PF had been compromised after he lost Central Committee elections in his home district of Makoni.

Acting President Mnangagwa paid tribute to First Lady Amai Grace Mugabe for blazing the trail, exposing the evil machinations of Dr Mujuru and her allies who wanted to topple President Mugabe working in cahoots with Zimbabwe’s enemies in a bid to reverse the gains of the country’s independence.

“I want to thank Dr Stop It (First Lady Amai Mugabe) because she is the one who was the first to expose the Gamatox elements for what they really were,” he said. “I enjoyed myself listening to her during her nationwide tour where she made some revelations about some things we did not even know. I want to thank her so much for what she did.’’

Good leaders, Acting President Mnangagwa said, were always supposed to engage in dialogue with the people they lead to collectively chart a common future.

He chronicled the history of the land reform programme in Zimbabwe, saying the Zanu-PF Government wanted to end white monopoly in the control of the best farming land in Zimbabwe.

The rally was attended by top Government and Zanu-PF officials, among them Senate President Edna Madzongwe and Politburo members Cdes Josaya Hungwe and Prisca Mupfumira.

Zimbabwe Council of Chiefs president Chief Fortune Charumbira, Zimbabwe Christian Church’s Bishop Nehemiah Mutendi and Family of God founder Apostle Andrew Wutawunashe were also in attendance.

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