News / National
Tsvangirai will be the next president as Mugabe is old: Zanu-PF official
16 Aug 2011 at 04:26hrs | Views
MARONDERA East legislator Tracy Mutinhiri (Zanu-PF), could lose her seat as the party's provincial leadership wants her recalled from both Parliament and Government.
She is also Labour and Social Services Deputy Minister.
The former Women's League national political commissar is, however, appealing against the determination of the provincial disciplinary committee.
She has since sent her appeal to Zanu-PF national chairman Simon Khaya Moyo.
Provincial disciplinary committee chairman Stephen Chiurayi wrote to Mutinhiri last Thursday advising her of the committee's decision to suspend her from holding party positions for the next five years.
He said this period would give Mutinhiri "time to learn and appreciate the party's operations and values."
Mutinhiri queried the late delivery of the suspension letter at her Government offices at Compensation House.
She said the letter was delivered on Friday August 12, at 4:45pm when she had knocked off.
The legislator has also accused a senior Politburo member in Mashonaland East of trying to destroy her political career.
Zanu-PF provincial chairman Ray Kaukonde yesterday said Mutinhiri's suspension was part of the provincial leadership's efforts to curb indiscipline.
Kaukonde said some ministers wanted to be in Government, but did not want to work for the party.
"This should be a lesson to MPs and they should know that they are employed by the party. They are representatives of constituencies for the party not as individuals or their families," he said.
Kaukonde said President Mugabe appointed MPs into Government to represent the province and the nation in general.
Kaukonde said the party will soon write to Parliament announcing Mutinhiri's recall.
If Mutinhiri is recalled by the party, it means she also loses her post in Government as Deputy Minister.
Kaukonde reiterated that Mutinhiri will not lose her farm as she was a beneficiary of a Government programme.
In an interview yesterday, Mutinhiri vowed to fight her suspension and expose all the people behind her ouster.
Mutinhiri believes her problems were being stirred by people who wanted her constituency and farm.
She said efforts to destroy her led to her constituency officer, Shepherd Kaserera, turning against her.
Mutinhiri appeared before a disciplinary committee chaired by the party's provincial vice chairman Chiurayi on August 5.
She was found guilty of contravening Article 3, Section 18 (1) for failing to be loyal to the party, failure to conduct herself honestly and honourably in her dealings with the party and public and bringing the party into disrepute and ridicule.
Mutinhiri was found guilty of failing to discharge her duties as a party representative. She was found guilty of failing to attend party meetings.
Sources in Mashonaland East Province said Mutinhiri allegedly boasted to party members that MDC-T leader Mr Morgan Tsvangirai would be the next Head of State as President Mugabe was old.
She is also accused of working with MDC-T functionaries in utilising the Constituency DevelopmentMutinhiri faces ouster from Parliament Funds.
Mutinhiri stands accused of gearing herself to work with the opposition including MDC-T or Mr Simba Makoni's Mavambo-Khusile-Dawn.
Mutinhiri denied working with MDC-T councillors in the constituency.
Witnesses against her included her former assistant Shepherd Kaserera, DCC chairman Robert Gudo, Albert Tarwirei (District 5 party chairman) and the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association.
Mutinhiri, however, said she stopped disbursement of CDF because of irregularities at her constituency office.
She accused Kaserera of threatening her and that she was trailed by men who were acting funny.
Some witnesses at the hearing accused Mutinhiri of banning party slogans in the constituency, declaring that she could work with any president, displaying Mr Tsvangirai's portraits in her office and coercing them to help her stand as an independent in the next election.
The witnesses told the committee that they had been summoned by Mutinhiri to her offices in Harare to discuss a "Plan B" because she was not wanted in the party.
One witness claimed that Mutinhiri had arranged poultry projects for youths and women in the constituency to drum up her support.
She was also accused of abandoning the constituency.
Mutinhiri, however, told the meeting that Kaserera was being used against her by Zanu-PF councillors who were shunning her.
She said she was never invited to any meeting in the district and province and denied holding meetings with MDC-T functionaries at her farmhouse.
She told the committee that she had lost confidence in the party after getting news that secretary for security Lawrence Katsiru was interested in her constituency.
The committee alleged that Mutinhiri had been rejected by her constituency and had opted to be an independent candidate, while mobilising support from party members.
It said she was working with MDC-T in her programmes, had high disregard for party regulations and openly admitted losing confidence in the party.
The committee also questioned Mutinhiri's loyalty to Zanu-PF, while showing no remorse for the damage she caused to the party.
It also described her abduction attempts as "more imagined than real" as they were never reported to the police.
Responding to the allegations, Mutinhiri said the disciplinary hearing was null and void as she was supposed to be a member of the National Consultative Assembly and cannot be tried at provincial level.
She requested to know at what level of insubordination this amounted to, whether, an oral reprimand, written reprimand, fine, suspension or removal from holding a party office or expulsion from the party.
She said the August 5 hearing had cleared her as the allegations did not warrant the hearing.
Mutinhiri said her problems were affecting her family.
She said she "loved and respected" President Mugabe as a founding father of Zimbabwe and the good he has done for the country.
"Dedicating his entire life for the people of Zimbabwe and most important his respect towards the less muscular and vulnerable - women and children who are sometimes exposed to unbearable environments."
She is also Labour and Social Services Deputy Minister.
The former Women's League national political commissar is, however, appealing against the determination of the provincial disciplinary committee.
She has since sent her appeal to Zanu-PF national chairman Simon Khaya Moyo.
Provincial disciplinary committee chairman Stephen Chiurayi wrote to Mutinhiri last Thursday advising her of the committee's decision to suspend her from holding party positions for the next five years.
He said this period would give Mutinhiri "time to learn and appreciate the party's operations and values."
Mutinhiri queried the late delivery of the suspension letter at her Government offices at Compensation House.
She said the letter was delivered on Friday August 12, at 4:45pm when she had knocked off.
The legislator has also accused a senior Politburo member in Mashonaland East of trying to destroy her political career.
Zanu-PF provincial chairman Ray Kaukonde yesterday said Mutinhiri's suspension was part of the provincial leadership's efforts to curb indiscipline.
Kaukonde said some ministers wanted to be in Government, but did not want to work for the party.
"This should be a lesson to MPs and they should know that they are employed by the party. They are representatives of constituencies for the party not as individuals or their families," he said.
Kaukonde said President Mugabe appointed MPs into Government to represent the province and the nation in general.
Kaukonde said the party will soon write to Parliament announcing Mutinhiri's recall.
If Mutinhiri is recalled by the party, it means she also loses her post in Government as Deputy Minister.
Kaukonde reiterated that Mutinhiri will not lose her farm as she was a beneficiary of a Government programme.
In an interview yesterday, Mutinhiri vowed to fight her suspension and expose all the people behind her ouster.
Mutinhiri believes her problems were being stirred by people who wanted her constituency and farm.
She said efforts to destroy her led to her constituency officer, Shepherd Kaserera, turning against her.
Mutinhiri appeared before a disciplinary committee chaired by the party's provincial vice chairman Chiurayi on August 5.
She was found guilty of contravening Article 3, Section 18 (1) for failing to be loyal to the party, failure to conduct herself honestly and honourably in her dealings with the party and public and bringing the party into disrepute and ridicule.
Mutinhiri was found guilty of failing to discharge her duties as a party representative. She was found guilty of failing to attend party meetings.
Sources in Mashonaland East Province said Mutinhiri allegedly boasted to party members that MDC-T leader Mr Morgan Tsvangirai would be the next Head of State as President Mugabe was old.
Mutinhiri stands accused of gearing herself to work with the opposition including MDC-T or Mr Simba Makoni's Mavambo-Khusile-Dawn.
Mutinhiri denied working with MDC-T councillors in the constituency.
Witnesses against her included her former assistant Shepherd Kaserera, DCC chairman Robert Gudo, Albert Tarwirei (District 5 party chairman) and the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association.
Mutinhiri, however, said she stopped disbursement of CDF because of irregularities at her constituency office.
She accused Kaserera of threatening her and that she was trailed by men who were acting funny.
Some witnesses at the hearing accused Mutinhiri of banning party slogans in the constituency, declaring that she could work with any president, displaying Mr Tsvangirai's portraits in her office and coercing them to help her stand as an independent in the next election.
The witnesses told the committee that they had been summoned by Mutinhiri to her offices in Harare to discuss a "Plan B" because she was not wanted in the party.
One witness claimed that Mutinhiri had arranged poultry projects for youths and women in the constituency to drum up her support.
She was also accused of abandoning the constituency.
Mutinhiri, however, told the meeting that Kaserera was being used against her by Zanu-PF councillors who were shunning her.
She said she was never invited to any meeting in the district and province and denied holding meetings with MDC-T functionaries at her farmhouse.
She told the committee that she had lost confidence in the party after getting news that secretary for security Lawrence Katsiru was interested in her constituency.
The committee alleged that Mutinhiri had been rejected by her constituency and had opted to be an independent candidate, while mobilising support from party members.
It said she was working with MDC-T in her programmes, had high disregard for party regulations and openly admitted losing confidence in the party.
The committee also questioned Mutinhiri's loyalty to Zanu-PF, while showing no remorse for the damage she caused to the party.
It also described her abduction attempts as "more imagined than real" as they were never reported to the police.
Responding to the allegations, Mutinhiri said the disciplinary hearing was null and void as she was supposed to be a member of the National Consultative Assembly and cannot be tried at provincial level.
She requested to know at what level of insubordination this amounted to, whether, an oral reprimand, written reprimand, fine, suspension or removal from holding a party office or expulsion from the party.
She said the August 5 hearing had cleared her as the allegations did not warrant the hearing.
Mutinhiri said her problems were affecting her family.
She said she "loved and respected" President Mugabe as a founding father of Zimbabwe and the good he has done for the country.
"Dedicating his entire life for the people of Zimbabwe and most important his respect towards the less muscular and vulnerable - women and children who are sometimes exposed to unbearable environments."
Source - TH
