News / National
'Time to cut Kasukuwere loose'
26 May 2017 at 14:12hrs | Views
As the unrelenting pressure being exerted on under-fire Zanu-PF national political commissar Saviour Kasukuwere (pictured) continues to mount, angry war veterans say it is time he is "cut loose" to save the ruling party from imploding.
Speaking to the Daily News yesterday, war veterans leader and former Cabinet minister, Christopher Mutsvangwa, said it was high time that Zanu-PF acted "decisively" against Kasukuwere before "irreparable damage" was done to the deeply-divided ruling party.
Mutsvangwa's call came following Kasukuwere's announcement earlier this week of the hotly-debated decision to bar an ex-intelligence operative, Pearson Mbalekwa, from participating in the impending Chiwundura by-election - and as the former liberation movement's ugly tribal, factional and succession wars continue to escalate.
Mutsvangwa said the Mbalekwa decision had been taken in an unprocedural manner, adding that Kasukuwere was "now behaving like the owner of Zanu-PF".
"That is (Mbalekwa decision) an abuse of power and personalisation of Zanu-PF by a clueless and disorderly G40 (Generation 40)," Mutsvangwa said, referring to the Zanu-PF faction which is rabidly opposed to Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa succeeding Mugabe.
"Why does Tyson (Kasukuwere's nickname) also issue a statement from a foreign country (he is in Mexico with Mugabe)? There ought to be an acting PC (political commissar).
"Kufa kwemujoni company haivharwi (Work does not stop because the boss is not there or has died).
"Even the president does not do that. He leaves behind an acting president when he travels. For security and protocol, pronouncements of State have to be issued from the seat of power. What if Kasukuwere is kidnapped in a foreign land and is under duress?
"Crass ignorance and compulsive dictatorial proclivity to the abuse of State power is the hallmark of G40," added the garrulous Mutsvangwa.
Mutsvangwa also attacked Kasukuwere earlier this week — claiming that the G40 was nearing its end, following the ongoing and relentless assault on its leaders by Mnangagwa's backers, Team Lacoste.
"The end is definitely nigh for the G40 cabal and its diabolic power grab pretences. The inescapable reality is that the G40 is facing its waterloo. Its organisational paucity has been exposed glaringly.
"And the people of Zimbabwe are poised to mete out terrible punishment to these would-be power grabbers for their crimes that delivered an economic meltdown unprecedented for a peacetime nation," he said then.
Mutsvangwa also said the current onslaught on Kasukuwere — who insiders claim is one of the G40 kingpins — was "a sign" that the faction was nearing its end.
"The drowning Kasukuwere … has long been the bete noire of the war veterans association ... This political charade has finally run out of its course.
"It has been a torrid season (for the G40), with the (Jacob) Mudenda inquiry, the vote of no confidence by 10 party provinces and the thorough drubbing of the G40 pretender by chairman (Ezra) Chadzamira in the Masvingo party provincial elections," he said.
Kasukuwere has been fighting to save his political career over the past few weeks, with his Zanu-PF enemies pushing for his ouster from both his party and government positions, over a raft of charges which include allegedly plotting to topple Mugabe from power.
Also under fire has been his brother Dickson Mafios, who is the acting Zanu-PF chairperson for Mashonaland Central.
Kasukuwere's fate was set to be decided at last week's postponed politburo meeting, after a probe team appointed by Mugabe to investigate allegations against him had completed its work.
Insiders have also previously told the Daily News that Kasukuwere's party rivals are "systematically working for his demise" — in the same manner former Vice President Joice Mujuru was chased out of the warring former liberation movement in 2014.
Nicknamed Tyson for his combative style of politics, Kasukuwere on Tuesday ordered Zanu-PF's Midlands Province to overlook Mbalekwa for the forthcoming Chiwundura by-election — which became vacant last month following the death of Kizito Chivamba.
"The party received names from the contestants who were prepared to stand in the Midlands Province. Out of the 21 candidates, 20 were approved by the party and … Mbalekwa's application was turned down for various reasons.
"That is the position of the party. So, whoever emerged at the top, outside the candidature of Mbalekwa will stand for the party," Kasukuwere, who is attending the 2017 Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction Conference with Mugabe in Mexico, said.
Mbalekwa who was sacked from Zanu-PF after the so-called Tsholotsho Declaration in 2004, in which Mnangagwa was then accused of organising a palace coup against Mugabe, had triumphed in the party's primaries.
A former intelligence operative, Mbalekwa joined opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai's MDC, before being elected MP for Zvishavane in 2008.
His closest rival, Brown Ndlovu, has now been chosen to represent Zanu-PF in the impending mini-poll, following the withdrawal of Mbalekwa.
Mbalekwa told the Daily News yesterday that he had withdrawn after the "sudden illness" of his daughter, which allegedly happened after he had won the party's primary elections.
"I only received the news of my child's illness at midday on Tuesday, well after the election. So, I had no choice but to withdraw because I realised I could not cope under the circumstances," he said.
Midlands is one of the nine provinces that have passed a vote of no confidence in Kasukuwere, and is said to be a Team Lacoste stronghold.
Meanwhile, Midlands Province has accused Kasukuwere of trying to settle political scores, as Mbalekwa had been cleared and re-admitted into the party in 2013.
"Mbalekwa re-joined the party and was rehabilitated. Charges from Tsholotsho do not stick because if we were to use that as a yard stick then Jonathan Moyo should not be a minister and member of the politburo.
"Similarly, Daniel Shumba would not be an MP and chairman of a parliamentary portfolio committee, and July Moyo would not be deputy secretary for administration, and Mark Madiro would not have been a member of the central committee.
"All these people were once expelled for their alleged involvement in the Tsholotsho meeting. But after serving their suspensions, they were re-admitted into the party and were rehabilitated," a senior official told the Daily News in the aftermath of Kasukuwere's directive.
Speaking to the Daily News yesterday, war veterans leader and former Cabinet minister, Christopher Mutsvangwa, said it was high time that Zanu-PF acted "decisively" against Kasukuwere before "irreparable damage" was done to the deeply-divided ruling party.
Mutsvangwa's call came following Kasukuwere's announcement earlier this week of the hotly-debated decision to bar an ex-intelligence operative, Pearson Mbalekwa, from participating in the impending Chiwundura by-election - and as the former liberation movement's ugly tribal, factional and succession wars continue to escalate.
Mutsvangwa said the Mbalekwa decision had been taken in an unprocedural manner, adding that Kasukuwere was "now behaving like the owner of Zanu-PF".
"That is (Mbalekwa decision) an abuse of power and personalisation of Zanu-PF by a clueless and disorderly G40 (Generation 40)," Mutsvangwa said, referring to the Zanu-PF faction which is rabidly opposed to Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa succeeding Mugabe.
"Why does Tyson (Kasukuwere's nickname) also issue a statement from a foreign country (he is in Mexico with Mugabe)? There ought to be an acting PC (political commissar).
"Kufa kwemujoni company haivharwi (Work does not stop because the boss is not there or has died).
"Even the president does not do that. He leaves behind an acting president when he travels. For security and protocol, pronouncements of State have to be issued from the seat of power. What if Kasukuwere is kidnapped in a foreign land and is under duress?
"Crass ignorance and compulsive dictatorial proclivity to the abuse of State power is the hallmark of G40," added the garrulous Mutsvangwa.
Mutsvangwa also attacked Kasukuwere earlier this week — claiming that the G40 was nearing its end, following the ongoing and relentless assault on its leaders by Mnangagwa's backers, Team Lacoste.
"The end is definitely nigh for the G40 cabal and its diabolic power grab pretences. The inescapable reality is that the G40 is facing its waterloo. Its organisational paucity has been exposed glaringly.
"And the people of Zimbabwe are poised to mete out terrible punishment to these would-be power grabbers for their crimes that delivered an economic meltdown unprecedented for a peacetime nation," he said then.
Mutsvangwa also said the current onslaught on Kasukuwere — who insiders claim is one of the G40 kingpins — was "a sign" that the faction was nearing its end.
"The drowning Kasukuwere … has long been the bete noire of the war veterans association ... This political charade has finally run out of its course.
"It has been a torrid season (for the G40), with the (Jacob) Mudenda inquiry, the vote of no confidence by 10 party provinces and the thorough drubbing of the G40 pretender by chairman (Ezra) Chadzamira in the Masvingo party provincial elections," he said.
Kasukuwere has been fighting to save his political career over the past few weeks, with his Zanu-PF enemies pushing for his ouster from both his party and government positions, over a raft of charges which include allegedly plotting to topple Mugabe from power.
Kasukuwere's fate was set to be decided at last week's postponed politburo meeting, after a probe team appointed by Mugabe to investigate allegations against him had completed its work.
Insiders have also previously told the Daily News that Kasukuwere's party rivals are "systematically working for his demise" — in the same manner former Vice President Joice Mujuru was chased out of the warring former liberation movement in 2014.
Nicknamed Tyson for his combative style of politics, Kasukuwere on Tuesday ordered Zanu-PF's Midlands Province to overlook Mbalekwa for the forthcoming Chiwundura by-election — which became vacant last month following the death of Kizito Chivamba.
"The party received names from the contestants who were prepared to stand in the Midlands Province. Out of the 21 candidates, 20 were approved by the party and … Mbalekwa's application was turned down for various reasons.
"That is the position of the party. So, whoever emerged at the top, outside the candidature of Mbalekwa will stand for the party," Kasukuwere, who is attending the 2017 Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction Conference with Mugabe in Mexico, said.
Mbalekwa who was sacked from Zanu-PF after the so-called Tsholotsho Declaration in 2004, in which Mnangagwa was then accused of organising a palace coup against Mugabe, had triumphed in the party's primaries.
A former intelligence operative, Mbalekwa joined opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai's MDC, before being elected MP for Zvishavane in 2008.
His closest rival, Brown Ndlovu, has now been chosen to represent Zanu-PF in the impending mini-poll, following the withdrawal of Mbalekwa.
Mbalekwa told the Daily News yesterday that he had withdrawn after the "sudden illness" of his daughter, which allegedly happened after he had won the party's primary elections.
"I only received the news of my child's illness at midday on Tuesday, well after the election. So, I had no choice but to withdraw because I realised I could not cope under the circumstances," he said.
Midlands is one of the nine provinces that have passed a vote of no confidence in Kasukuwere, and is said to be a Team Lacoste stronghold.
Meanwhile, Midlands Province has accused Kasukuwere of trying to settle political scores, as Mbalekwa had been cleared and re-admitted into the party in 2013.
"Mbalekwa re-joined the party and was rehabilitated. Charges from Tsholotsho do not stick because if we were to use that as a yard stick then Jonathan Moyo should not be a minister and member of the politburo.
"Similarly, Daniel Shumba would not be an MP and chairman of a parliamentary portfolio committee, and July Moyo would not be deputy secretary for administration, and Mark Madiro would not have been a member of the central committee.
"All these people were once expelled for their alleged involvement in the Tsholotsho meeting. But after serving their suspensions, they were re-admitted into the party and were rehabilitated," a senior official told the Daily News in the aftermath of Kasukuwere's directive.
Source - dailynews
