Mugabe seals Kasukuwere's fate

PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe is this week expected to seal Zanu-PF political commissar Saviour Kasukuwere's political fate following his nasty fallout with First Lady Grace Mugabe amid growing calls for the Local Government minister's ouster from the party's revered post.

Kasukuwere's issue is expected to feature prominently at both the politburo and central committee meetings to be chaired by Mugabe on Wednesday and Friday, amid reports the beleaguered commissar privately met the Zanu-PF leader last week and "shed tears" in a bid to save his skin.

Up until recently, Kasukuwere led a vicious G40 faction campaign for Grace to succeed Mugabe, but his relationship with the First Lady and women's league's top brass of Eunice Sandi-Moyo (Grace's deputy) and treasurer Sarah Mahoka, hit a political tidal wave in the last few weeks, amid reports he was clandestinely plotting Mugabe's ouster.

Kasukuwere and Higher Education minister Jonathan Moyo, among others, were reportedly the G40 kingpins in the Zanu-PF succession matrix.

A Zanu-PF politburo member who declined to be named told NewsDay yesterday that a series of anti-Kasukuwere demonstrations have been lined up in Bindura and Gweru starting today.

"Yes, he met the President and actually tried to tender his resignation from his party position. The President rejected that outright, leaving the Local Government minister in tears. Kasukuwere was told to clean up his mess. It's like the President has hung the political commissar out to dry," NewsDay heard.

"There will be demonstrations in Bindura tomorrow [today]. Already about 200 placards have been printed that will show people are fed up with Kasukuwere. We want the President to act."

The source added: "The First Lady and the President are quiet; nobody knows what they are thinking, so it becomes difficult to take a position. The best is to make sure one's phones are on and you are always in an area with connection because you may never know. You do not want to jump onto the bandwagon least you are accused of destabilisation or be seen to be against the demonstration because you might be accused of sabotage. It's a very tricky situation."

Another top party insider added: "At the women's league meeting last week, Shuvai Mahofa [Masvingo provincial affairs minister], supported by most of those who attended, told the First Lady that Kasukuwere was interfering with the league's programmes. The league's political commissar [Mabel Chinomona] has been left powerless and has to report to the national PC at every turn."

The insider also said: "The First Lady promised to raise the issue at the politburo this week. She said 'even if he is my friend I will have to reprimand him'. We expect that Kasukuwere will come for discussion this week."

Mahofa yesterday refused to discuss the issue asking the paper to contact women's league spokesperson Thokozile Mathuthu.

"I do not have to tell you what we discussed. Talk to the league's spokesperson Cde Thokozile Mathuthu she has everything for you," Mahofa said, as both Mathuthu and Zanu-PF national youth leader Kudzanai Chipanga also professed ignorance about the planned demonstrations.

Zanu-PF administration secretary Ignatius Chombo confirmed that the party's politburo and central committee meetings would be focusing on "critical issues pertaining to the party as well as national development will be discussed".

Repeated efforts to contact Kasukuwere for comment yesterday were unsuccessful as all his mobile phones were not available.