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Cde Mutasa

Zvamaida Murwira Senior Reporter
Former Zanu-PF secretary for administration Cde Didymus Mutasa, smarting from his failure to land a Central Committee post which effectively ruled him out of the Politburo, attempted to rope in South Africa to rescue him from the political dustbin. Cde Mutasa, who is in India where his wife is receiving medical treatment, granted an interview to South African media where he sought to discredit the recent congress that ushered in new party leadership.

In an interview with the Independent on Saturday, Cde Mutasa called on South African President Jacob Zuma to alert other regional governments about Zanu-PF’s congress where he and former Vice President Joice Mujuru among other officials were ejected both from the revolutionary party and Government.

He claimed that their sacking was unprocedural and undemocratic.

Former VP Mujuru and other senior party officials were sacked after they were implicated in a plot to assassinate President Mugabe including allegations of fanning factionalism, abuse of power and high-level corruption.

“We refuse to be chucked out of Zanu-PF, which some of us have been in for 57 years,” Cde Mutasa was quoted as saying.

“We fought for ‘one man, one vote’ majority rule, which is not provided for in the current Zanu-PF constitution adopted at the 6th congress,” Cde Mutasa claimed.

“It gives all votes to the President alone and violates the supreme law of the country. It is therefore null and void, all that transpired at the 6th congress.”

He added: “We call on Zanu-PF to work as it was before the 6th congress, which was itself unlawful,” Cde Mutasa said.

“We appeal to Sadc to adopt our position. We also appeal to Zimbabweans to remain peaceful as we strive for the democracy that we fought for,” said Cde Mutasa.

Cde Mutasa declined to comment yesterday saying; “Handidi kutaura nemi. Inga wani ndakati handidi kutaura nemi vanhu veHerald.”

Zanu-PF spokesperson Cde Simon Khaya Moyo declined to discuss the matter yesterday. “I won’t go into that today, I will discuss that matter tomorrow,” he said.

Other members in other provinces that fell by the wayside because of their association with Cde Mujuru are Cdes Nicholas Goche, Webster Shamu, Dzikamai Mavhaire, Ray Kaukonde, Kudakwashe Bhasikiti, Francis Nhema, Olivia Muchena and Simbaneuta Mudarikwa, among others.