Mnangagwa, Chinamasa crosswords

Reports suggest that former Cabinet minister and Zanu-PF politburo member Patrick Chinamasa has allegedly been removed from his influential post as treasury general after conflicting with President Emmerson Mnangagwa over perceived interference with Cabinet ministers, according to sources from NewsDay.

It is reported that Mnangagwa recently summoned the former Finance minister for challenging his government ministers, particularly regarding the suspension of alleged allies in the Makoni Rural District Council over corruption allegations. This suspension affected the chairperson, David Guy Mutasa, and former chief executive Edward Pise, who are purportedly known associates of Chinamasa. Pise was relieved of his duties last week after holding the position for over three decades.

Earlier this year, former Local Government minister Winstone Chitando dispatched an investigative team to probe allegations of land theft in Nyazura. However, Mutasa and Pise reportedly obstructed the investigators, resulting in their suspension.

Chinamasa, now serving as the party's national secretary for legal affairs, allegedly penned letters to both Chitando and the current Local Government and Public Works minister, Daniel Garwe, contesting the suspensions. Both ministers reportedly found Chinamasa's actions displeasing and brought the matter to Mnangagwa's attention.

In one of the letters to Garwe, dated May 7, Chinamasa expressed his disapproval of Mutasa and Pise's suspensions, citing Mutasa's previous role as the national chairperson of the National Association of Rural and Urban Councils. He questioned the justification behind the suspensions and advocated for consultations before such actions are taken.

Sources suggest that Chinamasa, who previously held key ministerial positions such as Finance and Justice, had become increasingly assertive following his ascent under Mnangagwa's leadership.

Chinamasa has not been reachable for comment since last week, and Garwe refrained from providing a statement on the matter, indicating his newness to the Local Government ministry.

Allegedly, Mnangagwa confronted Chinamasa over his tendency to challenge Cabinet appointees, emphasizing that such behavior was unacceptable. The president reportedly questioned Chinamasa's motives in questioning decisions made by his appointed ministers, particularly regarding the investigation into corruption allegations.