Mutasa's political future in limbo

The Zanu PF politburo is expected to meet in the capital today, amid reports the party's secretary for administration and Presidential Affairs minister Didymus Mutasa's political future is now hanging precariously after the Chinese-style organ at the weekend turned into a platform for calls on him to ‘come clean' on allegations of a plot to assassinate President Robert Mugabe.

Mutasa's woes mounted after he lost central committee elections in Makoni District, Manicaland, on Monday.

The Zimbabwe Mail is reliably informed that Mutasa ended up ‘thanking'  Zanu PF legal chief Emmerson Mnangagwa for asking the party to afford the beleaguered ‘Manicaland political godfather' a platform to defend himself.

"First was Mnangagwa who asked the President (Robert Mugabe) to give Mutasa a chance to defend himself. Mnangagwa argued Mutasa could not be allowed to sit in the party's politburo, central committee as well as retain his position in the presidium and government in light of the damning allegations of plotting to assassinate the president," a source said on condition of anonymity.

"Surprisingly, Mnangagwa was joined by (Defence minister Sydney) Sekeramayi who went a step further to call for Goche (Nicholas, Labour Minister) to be arrested on the treasonous allegations he is facing. Mutasa actually thanked Mnangagwa for speaking factually and pointing out that he needed to be given a chance to defend himself."

Mutasa and Sekeramayi are believed to be aligned to a faction of the ruling party reportedly fronted by Vice-President Joice Mujuru, while Mnangagwa is said to be the leader of another faction angling to take-over from President Mugabe.

Internecine factional fights within the ruling party have reached fever pitch, particularly following First Lady Grace Mugabe's dramatic entrance into the country's political terrain, three months ago.

President Mugabe's wife then embarked on a whirlwind tour of the country's provinces, thanking Zanu PF structures for nominating her to take charge of the party's women's league. The First Lady opened a pandora's box by calling for Mujuru to resign or risk being "baby-dumped" at the party's forthcoming congress set to begin on December 2. Mujuru was accused of plotting to topple President Mugabe, corruption, extortion, among a litany of damning misdemeanors, including fanning factionalism.

In the ensuing fall-out, Mutasa, suspended Zanu PF spokesperson Rugare Gumbo and Goche were accused of treason after revelations by the state media that the trio has been masterminding an elaborate plot to assassinate the president and replace him with Mujuru.

After Mnangagwa and Sekeramayi made passionate pleas for Mutasa and Goche to be relieved of their duties, Home Affairs minister Kembo Mohadi is said to have twisted the knife in with even more uncomplimentary allegations.

"Mohadi told the meeting that Mutasa had been demanding that he (Mohadi) reports to him. Everybody went quiet. But things went even more pear-shaped for Mutasa when Cain Mathema joined in and collaborated Mohadi's allegations," another source said.

"At that moment, Mutasa retorted that he had a slight respect for Mathema because he had saved the latter's life during the war. Mnangagwa chipped in and told the meeting that Mutasa needed to answer to the charges that he had told his girlfriend that the President will be shot."

The source added:  "Mutasa tried to defend himself by alleging that the accusations being levelled against him were part of a sting operation that had its genesis at Defence House (the Ministry of Defence's headquarters). He was, however, rebuked by President Mugabe."

Mutasa is reported to have told a girlfriend that President Mugabe would be shot if he continued to frustrate Mujuru's ascendency, while Gumbo is "heard on a tape" claiming that the President would be deposed in the same way as happened to former DRC leader Laurent Kabila who was killed by his aide-de-camp.

Following heated deliberations on Mutasa and his acolytes' fate, politburo member in Harare Cleveria Chizema is said to have moved a motion for the arrest of Mutasa and Goche for which she received applause across the floor.

"The matter was only held up because the President did not make a definite determination on the matter probably because he did not want to disrupt congress preparations," said the insider.