Prof Mutambara Puts ZANU PF In Quandary

PROFESSOR Arthur Mutambara's failure to organize a Congress to legitimize his position as the leader of the smaller faction of the Movement for Democratic Change has thrown Zanu PF's plans to keep him as the principal asunder.

This comes amid reports that Zanu PF, acting on the advice of Professor Jonathan Moyo – controversially funded Prof Mutambara with a staggering US$ 865 000 to organize the congress, politburo sources have said.

However the robotics professor has failed to organize the congress which was suppose to happen before the SADC team arrived last week, thus vindicating politburo members who had strongly contested the decision to listen to Prof Moyo's advice.

Zanu PF has been embarrassed by the incident and President Mugabe has reportedly tasked the national chairman – Simon Khaya Moyo with the duty of instituting a probe on the matter and submit a report to his office before the next politburo sitting, sources say.

Prof Mutambara's spokesperson – Maxwell Zimuto has denied that his principal has been funded by Zanu PF to have a congress but confirmed that plans to have a "congress soon are underway"

Zimuto said "Its rubbish that we are funded by Zanu PF. There are progressive persons and organizations that are fully behind our cause to show that Prof Ncube's congress was a stage managed circus whose whole process was faulty and the outcome faulty and void.

"We will have a congress soon and once logistics are up to date, we will announce because ours is not a secret affair of buddies like that of tribalists held on 8-9 January in Harare," he said.

Whereas Zanu PF's spokesperson Rugare Gumbo was non-committal and unwilling to answer Zimscribes'. He only said "Zanu PF has a lot of projects to fund and not other political formations," before abruptly switching off his phone.

The incident, sources says, has resulted in a war of words between the politburo and central committee of Zanu PF over "listening to Jonathan Moyo's advise."

This is so because, according to sources, Prof Moyo is unpopular with members of the central committee who believe that his sudden parrashooting to a politburo post ahead of "faithful and sincere party cadres" despite his earlier rebellion and blatant disrespect of President Robert Mugabe.

Prof Mutambara was wooed into the former ruling party by Prof Moyo, who allegedly sent Indigenization and Youth Empowerment minister Saviour Kasukuwere on December 22 at Inyanga and he agreed.

When the MDC held its congress on 8-9 January 2011 in Harare, Prof Mutambara decided not to contest for the presidency and Prof Welshman Ncube, the then secretary general contested and won without opposition.

During the congress, Prof Mutambara chaired the opening session and after the results were announced he hugged Prof Ncube, and made a nationalist uniting speech congratulating the new party leader.

Prof Mutambara then went to the World Economic Forum meeting and upon return he made a sudden U-Turn and insisted that he was the president of MDC.

Prof Mutambara continued acting as the MDC president and principal in the inclusive Government despite not being elected at congress.

This caused the MDC to approach the High Court of Zimbabwe in Bulawayo on an urgent basis seeking an order barring Prof Mutambara from masquerading as the party leader.

The High Court granted an interim relief to the MDC and Prof Mutambara is contesting the decision in the courts to date.

Undone with his scheming, Prof Mutambara announced that he was reshuffling cabinet representatives in the MDC in his capacity as the president.

This caused the MDC to fire and donate him to Zanu PF. Prof Mutambara has been mum since his donation to Zanu PF. He has also continued to attend controversial heroes acre burial presided over by Robert Mugabe and Zanu PF alone.