Gumbo admits to Mugabe plot

Sacked Zanu-PF spokesperson Rugare Gumbo has admitted plotting to unconstitutionally unseat President Mugabe and replace him with Vice-President Joice Mujuru.

Police sources also said yesterday there was mounting evidence that Gumbo had been supplying shadowy Facebook character "Baba Jukwa" with internal party information.

Gumbo - despite previously denying a conspiracy - confirmed backing VP Mujuru to still land the Presidency to The Zimbabwe Independent newspaper last week, in remarks analysts said indicated the clique might soon form a political party or align with opposition elements.

He also made what analysts said was the outrageous claim that President Mugabe - who resoundingly received a fresh mandate from the electorate in July 2013 - lacked a vision.

"I support Mujuru because naturally she was supposed to take over . . . She should be supported and we should not apologise for that," he said.

Political analysts said Gumbo should be arrested as his comments could not be divorced from his alleged threat to assassinate the President "the Kabila way" - as first reported by the pro-Mujuru Daily News.

University of Zimbabwe Political Science department head Dr Charity Manyeruke said: "The onus now rests with the police who should commence investigations because these are very serious allegations with the potential of causing anarchy.

"Police should also acknowledge the public's right to be informed on what they are doing about the plot, especially now that someone has come out in the open and tacitly admitted to being part of the plot.

"Several measures must be taken to rein in the mutinous individuals. To start with, the Zanu-PF constitution should be amended properly to ensure unity and discipline. There is also need to ensure all party leadership positions are manned by dedicated cadres."

Another analyst, who preferred anonymity for professional reasons, queried why Gumbo and his co-conspirators have been denying their now exposed plot.

The analyst said: "What were his denials about all along?

"Why are those who remained behind still denying? Why is he attacking the vision of the President despite the Head of State and Government winning the 2013 elections showing that the nation has faith in his vision?

"This justifies why he was booted out of the party. We now expect arrests because, honestly, what would stop him from carrying out his threat to remove the President the Kabila way if he does not make way for Mujuru?

"These guys don't know how Zanu-PF won the elections. They are the ones without a vision.

"What vision has Mujuru been showing? All we have seen is corruption by herself, her family and business associates; and insensitivity as shown by the case of the fatal car accident they tried to cover up. Is that the vision Gumbo is talking about?"

Bulawayo-based public policy expert Dr Qhubani Moyo added: "This shows Rugare Gumbo cannot be trusted at all because he is like a chameleon who changes colours with the change of environment.

"If he truly believes what we read in the Zimbabwe Independent, then he should have said it long back while he was still in the party and not wait to be off loaded first due to his failure to identify with the collective decision-making process of the party.

"To me, this is a clear sign of sour grapes and a drowning man who is clutching at straws in the hope of saving himself. The truth of the matter is that he is a man at the deep end. His statement should, in fact, attract more sanctions from the party. The party should review the five-year suspension and impose an even stiffer penalty commensurate with his treacherous statements."

Gumbo was two weeks ago handed a five-year suspension for sponsoring factionalism.

He is a key member of a clique working to unconstitutionally unseat President Mugabe.

Their strategy - involving United States functionaries - entailed getting Members of Parliament to pass a vote of no confidence on the President and ousting him at the Zanu-PF Congress.

If both approaches failed, then the conspirators would consider assassination.

There is a voice recording of Gumbo saying, "Kana (President) Mugabe akaramba achipusha Mujuru out, tichamubvisa sezvakaitwa (Laurent) Kabila."

DRC President Laurent Kabila was killed by one of his aides in 2001.

Zanu-PF secretary for administration  Didymus Mutasa also allegedly told one of his lovers: "If President Mugabe blocks the ascendancy of VP Mujuru to the Presidency at the Zanu-PF Congress, then he will be shot."

Immediately afterwards, the woman reported the matter to party authorities.

Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister Nicholas Goche allegedly also said war was coming to Zanu-PF.

Meanwhile, police sources yesterday said Gumbo may have been supplying the "Baba Jukwa" syndicate with sensitive Zanu-PF and Government information.

Police recently quizzed Gumbo over his recruitment to the Zanu-PF information department of The Sunday Mail editor Edmund Kudzayi and party deputy director of information  Psychology Maziwisa ahead of the 2013 elections.

But this was only after the Politburo meeting of October 30 when President Mugabe asked Gumbo why police had not questioned him.

Kudzayi and his brother, Phillip, are accused of administering the "Baba Jukwa" Facebook page that denigrated senior Government officials and published sensitive State information.

Investigators had earlier called in Information, Media and Broadcasting Services Minister Professor Jonathan Moyo, and his Environment, Water and Climate counterpart Saviour Kasukuwere.