News / Local
Kasukuwere in apparent jibe at G40 colleagues, Jonathan Moyo hits back
27 Nov 2022 at 09:57hrs | Views
FORMER Zanu-PF political commissar, Saviour Kasukuwere says he will not grovel before party leaders, including President Emmerson Mnangagwa, seeking forgiveness and re-admission into the revolutionary party.
He has declared that "I am available as one of the comrades if people say come and lead I will not hesitate to do that."
The ex-Cabinet minister considers himself a victim of factional battles that reared their ugly head in 2017.
Kasukuwere fled into self exile at the height of internecine strife within Zanu-PF, which witnessed then leader Robert Mugabe being ousted from the party and State presidency.
In a leaked virtual address to his supporters, the Generation 40 kingpin called for internal dialogue in Zanu-PF to resolve the coup aftermath, which resulted in some leaders living in exile.
"I am not one who must be expected to go on my knees to beg for forgiveness. I think there has to be a maturity on all angles to say you cannot expect one who was also victimised, should I go and say I am sorry because you missed me? no.
"We have been man enough to accept that some of these things must be handled in a much more matured way. There are no cry babies," said Kasukuwere.
The remarks come after fellow G40 kingpins Professor Jonathan Moyo and Patrick Zhuwao issued a public apology to Zanu-PF members over their role in a campaign calling for the party to be removed from power.
Prof Moyo responded to Kasukuwere's jibe saying on Twitter
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Heard gratuitous jibes at the OPEN letter that <a href="https://twitter.com/PatrickZhuwao?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PatrickZhuwao</a> wrote to ZanuPF members in the "LEAKED" video to ZanuPF members.<br><br>NB: There is a difference of day and night between being READY TO LEAD and being READY TO SERVE. Politics is not about leading it is about service!</p>— Prof Jonathan Moyo (@ProfJNMoyo) <a href="https://twitter.com/ProfJNMoyo/status/1596413319195217920?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 26, 2022</a></blockquote>
Kasukuwere was believed to be one of the Zanu-PF elements, who harboured ambitions to succeed Mugabe, thereby setting himself up for a power tussle with Mnangagwa, who at that time was vice president.
Following the military coup, Kasukuwere escaped into exile saying he was unsafe under the new Zanu-PF leadership under Mnangagwa.
Last week, fellow exiled Zanu-PF members, Jonathan Moyo and Patrick Zhuwao, issued a public apology to the party members signalling a possible reintegration ahead of next year's elections.
Kasukuwere and Walter Mzembi had been touted to follow a similar path and retrace their footsteps back to the ruling party.
However, Kasukuwere who has made his presidential aspirations clear, in a cryptic way declared that he is ready to lead, but cautioned his supporters not be ‘hasty'.
"Do not be in too much haste for you might even meet more challenges in the future," he said.
"We still have time, we still have our eyes on how to resolve our question as Zimbabwe. There is the issue of security of individuals. There is issue of how all the processes we are proposing should be handled.
"I want to assure you comrades, I am not blind to your discussions. I am aware I have taken this extraordinary step for the first time to say, yes we are leaders, I am available as one of the comrades if people say come and lead I will not hesitate to do that. I am not a coward; I am not a fool, I am not scared to do that.
"I have given this address for the first time because no leader must impose himself on the people. No leader must be one to say it's me. Let the people decide. Let the clarion call come from the people," Kasukuwere said.
He has declared that "I am available as one of the comrades if people say come and lead I will not hesitate to do that."
The ex-Cabinet minister considers himself a victim of factional battles that reared their ugly head in 2017.
Kasukuwere fled into self exile at the height of internecine strife within Zanu-PF, which witnessed then leader Robert Mugabe being ousted from the party and State presidency.
In a leaked virtual address to his supporters, the Generation 40 kingpin called for internal dialogue in Zanu-PF to resolve the coup aftermath, which resulted in some leaders living in exile.
"I am not one who must be expected to go on my knees to beg for forgiveness. I think there has to be a maturity on all angles to say you cannot expect one who was also victimised, should I go and say I am sorry because you missed me? no.
"We have been man enough to accept that some of these things must be handled in a much more matured way. There are no cry babies," said Kasukuwere.
The remarks come after fellow G40 kingpins Professor Jonathan Moyo and Patrick Zhuwao issued a public apology to Zanu-PF members over their role in a campaign calling for the party to be removed from power.
Prof Moyo responded to Kasukuwere's jibe saying on Twitter
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Heard gratuitous jibes at the OPEN letter that <a href="https://twitter.com/PatrickZhuwao?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PatrickZhuwao</a> wrote to ZanuPF members in the "LEAKED" video to ZanuPF members.<br><br>NB: There is a difference of day and night between being READY TO LEAD and being READY TO SERVE. Politics is not about leading it is about service!</p>— Prof Jonathan Moyo (@ProfJNMoyo) <a href="https://twitter.com/ProfJNMoyo/status/1596413319195217920?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 26, 2022</a></blockquote>
Kasukuwere was believed to be one of the Zanu-PF elements, who harboured ambitions to succeed Mugabe, thereby setting himself up for a power tussle with Mnangagwa, who at that time was vice president.
Following the military coup, Kasukuwere escaped into exile saying he was unsafe under the new Zanu-PF leadership under Mnangagwa.
Last week, fellow exiled Zanu-PF members, Jonathan Moyo and Patrick Zhuwao, issued a public apology to the party members signalling a possible reintegration ahead of next year's elections.
Kasukuwere and Walter Mzembi had been touted to follow a similar path and retrace their footsteps back to the ruling party.
However, Kasukuwere who has made his presidential aspirations clear, in a cryptic way declared that he is ready to lead, but cautioned his supporters not be ‘hasty'.
"Do not be in too much haste for you might even meet more challenges in the future," he said.
"We still have time, we still have our eyes on how to resolve our question as Zimbabwe. There is the issue of security of individuals. There is issue of how all the processes we are proposing should be handled.
"I want to assure you comrades, I am not blind to your discussions. I am aware I have taken this extraordinary step for the first time to say, yes we are leaders, I am available as one of the comrades if people say come and lead I will not hesitate to do that. I am not a coward; I am not a fool, I am not scared to do that.
"I have given this address for the first time because no leader must impose himself on the people. No leader must be one to say it's me. Let the people decide. Let the clarion call come from the people," Kasukuwere said.
Source - NewZimbabwe
