Didymus Mutasa warned

ZANU-PF has warned ousted secretary for administration Didymus Mutasa against the path he has chosen to court foreigners in his bid to discredit the party's 6th National People's Congress held early this month and have its resolutions reversed.

Mutasa was effectively ruled out of the Politburo after he failed to land a Central Committee seat in his home district, before being relieved of his duties as Minister of State for Presidential Affairs after being implicated in fanning factionalism and plotting to depose and even assassinate President Mugabe.

Mutasa is said to have been lobbying former liberation movements in Southern Africa not to recognise the congress resolutions on the basis that Mujuru, several other ministers and himself were unjustly ejected from the Politburo and and government.

He is said to have requested for asylum from South Africa's Matthews Phosa - a former treasurer general of the ruling ANC.

Newly appointed Zanu-PF secretary for administration Ignatius Chombo yesterday warned Mutasa against his "wishful thinking" and lobbying for the reversal of the congress resolutions and the new status quo.

Speaking in an interview at the Zanu-PF headquarters yesterday, Chombo said the Congress resolutions were binding and irreversible.

"Everyone is aware of the massive attendance of more than 12, 000 people who attended our Congress where issues were deliberated," he said.

"The decisions that were taken by Congress are constitutional and binding. The massive attendance tells you of the democratic nature of Zanu-PF. It's mere wishful thinking to imagine that Congress' decisions can be reversed."

Contacted from India where his wife is receiving treatment, Mutasa yesterday accused our Harare Bureau of peddling lies.

He said he now preferred granting interviews to the private press.

"I'll not talk to you because you always write lies about me," he said. "However, all I can say is that Phosa has since written to your Editor about the issue."

In a statement issued to our Harare Bureau yesterday, Phosa denied meeting Mutasa and discussing possibilities of him going into exile in South Africa.

Without elaboration, Phosa said: "I deny I met with Mutasa and discussed the possibility of him going into exile in South Africa. I deny that Mutasa asked me to house him at my farm. I deny that I'm the former secretary general of the ANC (our story correctly identified him as former treasurer general). I deny that I travelled to Angola with Mr Mutasa in October 2014 to meet with MPLA".

Speaking on his new role, Chombo said his major focus was on administrative issues involving workers' welfare, the streamlining of duties and responsibilities and that all the systems were fully functional with information flowing smoothly so that decisions were taken timeously.

He said all outstanding salaries and bonuses for the party staff will be paid by tomorrow.

"The workers have been extremely cooperative, come next year all the programmes will be on course and we want to ensure that workers are paid timeously," Chombo said.

On staff realignment in line with the new, leaner Politburo, Chombo said he was still to assess the actual needs of different departments, but indications were that the party had a shortfall of staff.

Addressing party workers at an end of year luncheon he organised for them, Chombo thanked them for their diligence in successfully organising the Congress.

He said workers needed to take note of the ire of President Mugabe when he bemoaned the haphazard manner in which the party was being administered by his predecessor, Mutasa.

"Let's not be discouraged by our present state," he said.

"We need to work towards being the best political party in the region"? I empathise with you on the social insecurity that delayed salaries," he said.

Chombo said Zanu-PF would soon address all issues affecting its workers, including remuneration, and expressed optimism that all the challenges facing the party would be overcome.

The end of year party luncheon was attended by some Politburo and Central Committee members who included deputy secretary for administration July Moyo, secretary for Environment and Tourism Prisca Mupfumira, Women's League secretary for finance Sarah Mahoka, deputy secretary for Women's League Nomthandazo Eunice Moyo, secretary for Youth Affairs Pupurai Togarepi, committee member Shuvai Mahofa and Central Committee members Phillip Chiyangwa and Harare provincial chairperson Godwills Masimirembwa.