Kasukuwere snubbed again

ZANU-PF structures yesterday resisted machinations by embattled national commissar Saviour Kasukuwere to impose authority on them by calling for an urgent meeting with provincial chairpersons, ostensibly to audit party structures ahead of next year's elections.

The structures said Kasukuwere should first wait for the Politburo verdict on the allegations he is facing before carrying out commissariat work.

The national commissar, who has been rejected by nine of the 10 provinces, is accused of creating parallel structures in Zanu-PF, fanning divisions and corruption.

Only five provincial chairpersons attended yesterday's meeting, while the other five gave excuses.

Observers said the excuses were a clear sign that party structures no longer respected Kasukuwere as head of the commissariat department.

It is understood that most of the chairpersons who attended the meeting only did so for fear of reprisals.

Those who attended yesterday's meeting were Cdes Dickson Mafios (Mashonaland Central), Charles Tawengwa (Harare), Bernard Makokove (Mashonaland East), Samuel Undenge (Manicaland) and Ephraim Chengeta (Mashonaland West).

Matabeleland North chairperson Richard Moyo said he was not part of the meeting.

"I have other engagements in the province and I did not attend that meeting," he said.

Matabeleland South chairperson Rabelani Choeni said: "We were busy at the weekend with the burial of Naison Ndlovu. Today we are busy again, as well as tomorrow. We are organising for the African Union cattle to go for an auction."

Midlands' Daniel Mackenzie said he was invited, but had other engagements.

"They phoned me over the weekend and I told them I am away and I never heard anything from them since then," he said.

Bulawayo's chairperson Dennis Ndlovu said: "I was not there because I am not feeling well."

Masvingo chairperson Ezra Chadzamira said he was never invited to the meeting.

Mafios said they had discussed party programmes.

"I attended and we were organising the party," he said. "We are going for elections and we have to ensure that we reactivate our systems and verify party structures in line with the biometric voter registration system."

Cdes Makokove, Chengeta and Tawengwa confirmed attending the meeting.

Sources yesterday said the haphazard call for meetings by Kasukuwere was a sign of desperation.

"He is testing waters, but the fact remains, provinces have rejected him," said a source. "Telling someone to come for a meeting within 24 hours is a sign that he is not organised.

"It means he is following certain developments, but he should take it easy and wait for his fate. If you see people giving excuses now and then, know that something is wrong they no longer respect you."

Kasukuwere recently came under fire for flouting party procedures by unilaterally disqualifying Pearson Mbalekwa from contesting the July 15 Chiwundura by-election on the revolutionary party's ticket.

He disqualified Mbalekwa via a text message from Mexico where he was attending the United Nations World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction.

President Mugabe appointed a team led by Speaker of the National Assembly and Politburo member Jacob Mudenda to investigate events leading to Kasukuwere receiving votes of no confidence from the nine provinces.

The team went to Mashonaland Central, Kasukuwere's home province, which kick-started the process of passing the votes of no confidence.

The probe team has completed its report which is expected to be tabled in the next Politburo meeting.