News / National
'Mugabe must go,' says Top Zanu PF member
31 May 2017 at 08:02hrs | Views
A NYANGA-BASED Zanu PF central committee member, Moses Gutu, is in trouble with the party for allegedly calling on President Robert Mugabe to step down.
Gutu, the Nyanga Rural District Council chairman, is alleged to have made the call on numerous occasions, prompting the Zanu PF officials in the district to write to the under-fire provincial chairman, Samuel Undenge, complaining about his conduct.
In an interview with NewsDay yesterday, Gutu confirmed the existence of the letter, but denied ever making a call against the President, saying he owed his status to the veteran ruler.
He alleged that those making allegations against him were previously associated with National People's Party leader Joice Mujuru and lost the central committee elections against him.
"I never said that, but age is scientific. You can't say a person with two years is 20 years," Gutu said.
Asked to explain further, Gutu said he would be in Marondera for Mugabe's rally to prove that he was firmly behind the ageing leader, before bursting into laughter.
In Zanu PF, it is regarded as sacrilege to call on Mugabe to step down.
According to a letter signed by provincial secretary for finance Tendai Saruchera, dated March 21, Gutu is accused of subversion and insulting Mugabe.
The letter chronicled several incidents in which Gutu allegedly said he wanted Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa to take over.
"In a brazen act of disloyalty and attempt to subvert the unequivocal endorsement of Cde RG Mugabe as the sole presidential candidate for the Presidency of Zimbabwe in 2018, Cde Moses Gutu insulted the person of His Excellency Cde RG Mugabe on December 19 aboard a Nyanga RDC vehicle, reg number AAE 9153, en route to Nyanga North constituency," the letter read in part.
"Cde Gutu made a scathing and vitriolic attack on the person of His Excellency by way of a narrative that he had witnessed the President struggling to walk, stand and subsequently failing to present his speech at the official opening of the Community Information Centre at Chikato Post Office during the 16th annual people's conference in Masvingo."
In the letter, it is further alleged Gutu approached a senior army officer in Nyanga and displayed a T-shirt inscribed "Lacoste" and with a picture of a crocodile, remarking that Mnangagwa must take over.
"Cde Moses Gutu is not qualified to make a medical opinion on the health of the President and let alone his fitness for duty," Saruchera continued.
"It is an act of disloyalty to the party and subversion of a President, who was constitutionally elected in 2013 and subsequently elected as first secretary and president of the party at the sixth national people's congress in 2014 and further endorsed as the sole presidential candidate at the sixth national people's congress and the 15th and 16th annual people's conferences."
The letter says Gutu confirmed he was summoned by the police on allegations of subverting Mugabe's authority.
Gutu, the Nyanga Rural District Council chairman, is alleged to have made the call on numerous occasions, prompting the Zanu PF officials in the district to write to the under-fire provincial chairman, Samuel Undenge, complaining about his conduct.
In an interview with NewsDay yesterday, Gutu confirmed the existence of the letter, but denied ever making a call against the President, saying he owed his status to the veteran ruler.
He alleged that those making allegations against him were previously associated with National People's Party leader Joice Mujuru and lost the central committee elections against him.
"I never said that, but age is scientific. You can't say a person with two years is 20 years," Gutu said.
Asked to explain further, Gutu said he would be in Marondera for Mugabe's rally to prove that he was firmly behind the ageing leader, before bursting into laughter.
In Zanu PF, it is regarded as sacrilege to call on Mugabe to step down.
The letter chronicled several incidents in which Gutu allegedly said he wanted Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa to take over.
"In a brazen act of disloyalty and attempt to subvert the unequivocal endorsement of Cde RG Mugabe as the sole presidential candidate for the Presidency of Zimbabwe in 2018, Cde Moses Gutu insulted the person of His Excellency Cde RG Mugabe on December 19 aboard a Nyanga RDC vehicle, reg number AAE 9153, en route to Nyanga North constituency," the letter read in part.
"Cde Gutu made a scathing and vitriolic attack on the person of His Excellency by way of a narrative that he had witnessed the President struggling to walk, stand and subsequently failing to present his speech at the official opening of the Community Information Centre at Chikato Post Office during the 16th annual people's conference in Masvingo."
In the letter, it is further alleged Gutu approached a senior army officer in Nyanga and displayed a T-shirt inscribed "Lacoste" and with a picture of a crocodile, remarking that Mnangagwa must take over.
"Cde Moses Gutu is not qualified to make a medical opinion on the health of the President and let alone his fitness for duty," Saruchera continued.
"It is an act of disloyalty to the party and subversion of a President, who was constitutionally elected in 2013 and subsequently elected as first secretary and president of the party at the sixth national people's congress in 2014 and further endorsed as the sole presidential candidate at the sixth national people's congress and the 15th and 16th annual people's conferences."
The letter says Gutu confirmed he was summoned by the police on allegations of subverting Mugabe's authority.
Source - newsday
