Mutasa clan disowns Mutasa over Zanu-PF shenanigans

The Makoni chieftainship council of elders has disowned former Zanu-PF secretary for administration Didymus Mutasa saying he is a "mere nephew" of the dynasty.

At a Press conference at his court in Rusape, Chief Makoni said Mutasa had misled everyone in the country into believing he was of royal blood.

He said Mutasa went around claiming he was Nyati or Makoni.

"Didymus Mutasa is not of pure royal descent. He is a nephew who wants to claim a legacy he is not entitled to. His great grandmother was a daughter of the Makonis called Marutse. Now he is dragging our name in the mud by claiming to be of royal blood. This has angered us into exposing his roots," said Chief Makoni.

He said Mutasa was a charlatan who tried to take over the Makoni chieftaincy in the 80s but failed because he could not prove his links to the royal family.

Analysts have said the press conference was the latest in calculated moves by Zanu-PF to discredit Mutasa and make him lose credibility in the eyes of Zimbabweans.

"Public media spread the word that he was part of a group led by former Vice President Joice Mujuru, who the media alleged was plotting to kill President Robert Mugabe, in the run-up to the party's 6th National People's Congress," said one analyst.

"If that was true, he would be rotting in prison with VP Mujuru by now. This is just a smokescreen to discredit him so that it would be difficult to believe him if he discloses Zanu-PF crimes or secrets."

Another analyst said it was suspicious Chief Makoni had chosen this time to speak out on an issue that the clan had been silent about for more than 20 years.

The analyst said it was sad that traditional leaders were allowing themselves to be used as political pawns, adding that their own credibility was at stake.

On Wednesday, President Mugabe "warned" Mutasa against carrying out his threat of going to the courts to seek annulment of the outcomes of the congress and challenge some amendments to the party's constitution.

Mutasa was sacked from government and lost his Central Committee seat at the congress.

The Zanu-PF politburo has set up a special committee headed by VP Phelekezela Mphoko to take Mutasa for a disciplinary hearing.