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Kasukuwere chickens out from Mugabe succession talk
21 Jul 2015 at 06:26hrs | Views
Zanu-PF national political commissar and Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing, Saviour Kasukuwere, has said he was there to assist and serve President Mugabe and should not be implicated in any succession plots and speculations.
The private media has been writing stories claiming that Kasukuwere and Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa were jostling to succeed President Mugabe.
Yesterday, Kasukuwere said he should be counted out of the imagined race and noted that the reports were mischievous and divisive.
He said he recognised and supported President Mugabe as the sole centre of power.
"I wish to make it categorically clear that I have been appointed political commissar and Minister of Local Government and National Housing by President Mugabe to carry out duties and responsibilities which are to build the party and run local councils, and I am very honoured (for that)," said Kasukuwere.
"I am very dismayed that some people want to start unnecessary and stupid lies about succession when President Mugabe was elected less than two years ago.
"I want to dismiss these divisive tendencies and urge people to stop to try and pit one against the other in a non-existent contest," he added.
A privately owned newspaper recently ran a story with the headline: "Mnangagwa 2, Kasukuwere 0", hyping the alleged fallout between the two party and Government officials.
But Kasukuwere retorted: "Where was the football match? I am just a servant and I'm not seeking any office other than those President Mugabe has appointed me to.
"I respect Mnangagwa as my Vice President, let alone supporting President Mugabe as the one centre of power."
Kasukuwere said he was focused on the successful implementation of the Zim-Asset blueprint.
"We will not allow to be dragged into unnecessary schemes. I am not part of it. Leave me alone.
"I am here to work for President Mugabe," he said.
President Mugabe has been warning party members against propping some leaders over others as this would create "another Gamatox", a reference to a cabal led by former Vice President Joice Mujuru, who was expelled along with a host of other top officials for plotting to unconstitutionally depose him ahead of the Zanu-PF 6th Peaple's Congress last December.
Kasukuwere also warned local councils to deliver or be doomed.
"The judgment by the Supreme Court that allows people to be fired within three months is actually good," he told local authority chiefs that met in Nyanga over the weekend where he also commissioned land development bought by Nyanga Rural District Council.
"If you mess up, you go. I am prepared to fire those who fail to deliver and those who fail to command people to work," he said.
He urged local authorities to devote time and resources towards the provision of housing to the people and render land barons redundant.
"How can land barons do better than the local authority which has the land and resources?" he challenged.
The private media has been writing stories claiming that Kasukuwere and Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa were jostling to succeed President Mugabe.
Yesterday, Kasukuwere said he should be counted out of the imagined race and noted that the reports were mischievous and divisive.
He said he recognised and supported President Mugabe as the sole centre of power.
"I wish to make it categorically clear that I have been appointed political commissar and Minister of Local Government and National Housing by President Mugabe to carry out duties and responsibilities which are to build the party and run local councils, and I am very honoured (for that)," said Kasukuwere.
"I am very dismayed that some people want to start unnecessary and stupid lies about succession when President Mugabe was elected less than two years ago.
"I want to dismiss these divisive tendencies and urge people to stop to try and pit one against the other in a non-existent contest," he added.
A privately owned newspaper recently ran a story with the headline: "Mnangagwa 2, Kasukuwere 0", hyping the alleged fallout between the two party and Government officials.
But Kasukuwere retorted: "Where was the football match? I am just a servant and I'm not seeking any office other than those President Mugabe has appointed me to.
Kasukuwere said he was focused on the successful implementation of the Zim-Asset blueprint.
"We will not allow to be dragged into unnecessary schemes. I am not part of it. Leave me alone.
"I am here to work for President Mugabe," he said.
President Mugabe has been warning party members against propping some leaders over others as this would create "another Gamatox", a reference to a cabal led by former Vice President Joice Mujuru, who was expelled along with a host of other top officials for plotting to unconstitutionally depose him ahead of the Zanu-PF 6th Peaple's Congress last December.
Kasukuwere also warned local councils to deliver or be doomed.
"The judgment by the Supreme Court that allows people to be fired within three months is actually good," he told local authority chiefs that met in Nyanga over the weekend where he also commissioned land development bought by Nyanga Rural District Council.
"If you mess up, you go. I am prepared to fire those who fail to deliver and those who fail to command people to work," he said.
He urged local authorities to devote time and resources towards the provision of housing to the people and render land barons redundant.
"How can land barons do better than the local authority which has the land and resources?" he challenged.
Source - the herald
