Knives out for Mutsvangwa

WAR veterans in Mashonaland West have recommended the recall of Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans' Association leader Christopher Mutsvangwa, accusing him of being selfish and disrespectful to President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

The decision was reached at a meeting in Chinhoyi on Tuesday.

Headman Moyo is tipped to take over.

Mashonaland West provincial chairperson Cornelius Muwoni confirmed the meeting and the decision by the former freedom fighters to recall Mutsvangwa, but was not at liberty to divulge the reasons.

"Yes, I can confirm that the Mashonaland West war vets provincial council recommended that Mutsvangwa be recalled from the leadership of the association with immediate effect, but I cannot give reasons at the moment. Get in touch with me tomorrow (today), and I will furnish you with all what you want," Muwoni said.

But sources who attended the meeting at Cooksey Hall in Chinhoyi said the presidential adviser was recalled for, among others issues, being "unfaithful and self-centred", disrespecting Mnangagwa and the executive, as well as creating divisions within the organisation.

According to a communiqué produced after the meeting, the war veterans claimed the decision to recall Mutsvangwa was unanimous, accusing the former War Veterans minister of causing divisions in the association through his utterances that also put the name of the ruling Zanu PF party into disrepute.

"At the above meeting held today at Cooksey Memorial Hall in Chinhoyi, it was resolved that Christopher Mutsvangwa be recalled from the ZNLWVA national executive committee of the organisation with immediate effect," part of the communiqué read.

"Reasons for the recall: unfaithfulness, self-centred, lack of respect to His Excellency and the Executive, creating divisions in the organisation and making utterances that brought the name of the organisation in disrepute, a thing unexpected of a member of the politburo."

According to the communiqué, Mutsvangwa would be issued with the dismissal letter in due course.

However, Muwoni was quick to point out that the provincial council had no power to recall the ZNLWVA chairperson, but could recommend to the national executive like what they did.

"He (Mutsvangwa) has made many utterances that are not good, and we have decided to recommend his recall because we are afraid the utterances will take us all in the mud. Recalling him is sending a message that we are not part of his utterances," Muwoni said.

Mutsvangwa, who has been out of the picture because of ill-health for the better part of the year, two weeks ago stirred a hornet's nest after he accused fuel mogul and command agriculture benefactor Kudakwashe Tagwirei of capturing the State.

He claimed Tagwirei was given preferential treatment in Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe's foreign currency allocations, which the mogul would then use to fuel the black market.

The war vets chairperson claimed there was need for the liberalisation of fuel procurement.

Attacks on Tagwirei forced Deputy Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, responsible for presidential communications, George Charamba, to go after Mutsvangwa, describing him as Mnangagwa's ex-adviser, who had now resorted to fake politics after failing to penetrate the fuel industry.

Tagwirei has close links to both Mnangagwa and his deputy, Constantino Chiwenga.

"That is where we differ with our colleagues. Go and provide evidence because culprits are not dealt with by headlines, but they are dealt with by handcuffs, and if he has got some information, please, can he help the system?" Charamba said last week.

"It's not that if you are fronting a rival planning to bring fuel, then you retreat in the political deck because you cannot stand the heat in the boardroom. No! That is not acceptable."

Mutsvangwa yesterday declined to comment, describing the developments as a charade.

"I will only comment when there is gravity, not this child's play," Mutsvangwa said.