Mugabe admonishes Masvingo leadership

President Mugabe has admonished the Zanu-PF Masvingo provincial leadership for causing acrimony among party members by claiming that Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa was poisoned at the Gwanda Youth Interface Rally held recently.

Speaking during the joint burial of national heroine Mbuya Maud Muzenda and hero George Rutanhire at the Heroes Acre in Harare on Saturday, the President bemoaned the divisive actions that was weakening the party in the province.

VP Mnangagwa received medical attention in South Africa and is back in the country.

There were reports that divisions within the provincial leadership emerged during the funeral of Masvingo Provincial Affairs Minister Shuvai Ben Mahofa, where some senior Zanu-PF leaders in Masvingo, among them suspended provincial political commissar and Bikita South legislator Jappy Jaboon were jeered by some youths.

President Mugabe urged party supporters to shun divisions to ensure the party retained its stronghold in Masvingo.

"Taiti Masvingo murikusupporter struggle yaive upon-upon, number one munyika," he said.

"Takanga tisina vanogedageda semazuva ano aya. Haisiriyo tradition yeMasvingo yatirikuona iyi. Zvavazvimwewoizvi.

"Kunonzi ikoko vanoona varoyi. Hameno kuti varoyi vacho vanoonekwa varipi. Ndaive naVaHungwe musiuno, ndichibvunza kuti nhai VaHungwe, kohamugadziridze izvi zvatirikuona izvi?

"Kwakungonzi vanhu vese, even up to the President, muroyi. Ah . . .ah . . .ah! Kwatabva kweseuku? Kovangani vandauraya? Zvinobva kuMidlands here zvichienda kuMasvingo? Hatina zvevaroyi muparty. Tine vanotsaudzira gwara, hongu, asi varoyi kwete."

The President added: "Saka kana muine huroyi or hun'anga hwekuona varoyi, ah, hazvimo muparty izvozvo.

"Saka tinoti down with your witchcraft. Kwatakabva tangatisina izvozvo."