News / National
Muchinguri caught on tape making disparaging remarks on Zanu-PF bigwigs
06 Jul 2015 at 08:13hrs | Views
Zanu-PF party remains unmoved by reports of a damning recording in which former Women's League boss and Higher Education minister Oppah Muchinguri allegedly made disparaging remarks against fellow party bigwigs.
In the 45-minute recording, a woman believed to be Muchinguri is heard making critical remarks and insinuations of plots and counter plots within the former guerrilla movement as the internecine struggles for power continue unabated.
The recording, reportedly made at a meeting held on June 9 - the day former Mines minister Amos Midzi allegedly committed suicide at his Munandi Farm in Beatrice - was allegedly done by one of Zanu-PF youths without Muchinguri's knowledge.
The meeting of youths mainly from Manicaland was, according to insiders, held at a private house in Harare. According to sources, the Higher Education minister called the meeting to canvass for support from the party youths ahead of a provincial coordinating committee (PCC) meeting which was set for yesterday in Mutare, but was reportedly cancelled after the audio tape leaked.
Thousands of discs of the recording were allegedly reproduced and were being distributed to senior ruling party members to pile pressure on Mugabe to take stern action against Muchinguri.
According to Zanu-PF officials, the audio recording was reportedly handed over to Mugabe's wife Grace Mugabe in Kadoma on Wednesday. The recording was also being distributed at other official Zanu-PF functions.
Muchinguri, who could not be reached for comment yesterday, abdicated her position as head of the Zanu-PF Women's League last year to make way for the First Lady. She then accompanied Grace on a countrywide tour that created the platform on which Mujuru was verbally lynched until her sacking on allegations she was behind a plot to unseat Mugabe violently.
Zanu-PF spokesperson Simon Khaya-Moyo yesterday said he had only heard about the recording in the media.
"I am only getting to know about the existence of the recording in the newspapers. Do you expect a serious party to call for an emergency meeting based on a newspaper report?" Khaya-Moyo asked rhetorically.
In the 45-minute recording, a woman believed to be Muchinguri is heard making critical remarks and insinuations of plots and counter plots within the former guerrilla movement as the internecine struggles for power continue unabated.
The recording, reportedly made at a meeting held on June 9 - the day former Mines minister Amos Midzi allegedly committed suicide at his Munandi Farm in Beatrice - was allegedly done by one of Zanu-PF youths without Muchinguri's knowledge.
The meeting of youths mainly from Manicaland was, according to insiders, held at a private house in Harare. According to sources, the Higher Education minister called the meeting to canvass for support from the party youths ahead of a provincial coordinating committee (PCC) meeting which was set for yesterday in Mutare, but was reportedly cancelled after the audio tape leaked.
Thousands of discs of the recording were allegedly reproduced and were being distributed to senior ruling party members to pile pressure on Mugabe to take stern action against Muchinguri.
According to Zanu-PF officials, the audio recording was reportedly handed over to Mugabe's wife Grace Mugabe in Kadoma on Wednesday. The recording was also being distributed at other official Zanu-PF functions.
Muchinguri, who could not be reached for comment yesterday, abdicated her position as head of the Zanu-PF Women's League last year to make way for the First Lady. She then accompanied Grace on a countrywide tour that created the platform on which Mujuru was verbally lynched until her sacking on allegations she was behind a plot to unseat Mugabe violently.
Zanu-PF spokesperson Simon Khaya-Moyo yesterday said he had only heard about the recording in the media.
"I am only getting to know about the existence of the recording in the newspapers. Do you expect a serious party to call for an emergency meeting based on a newspaper report?" Khaya-Moyo asked rhetorically.
Source - The Standard
