Kasukuwere threatens, Zanu-PF ruffled

THERE are real fears that both the ruling party and the country could be entering a new phase of significant political turmoil leading to the 2023 national elections, the Daily News can report.

This comes after former Cabinet minister and Zanu-PF political commissar Saviour Kasukuwere warned at the weekend that he may soon return to politics, to take on President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Political analysts told the newspaper yesterday that Kasukuwere's seemingly imminent return to politics would seriously threaten Mnangagwa and Zanu-PF, as he had intimate knowledge of the ruling party, its leaders and modus operandi - which in turn could spawn violence.

A senior Zanu-PF official also warned that political temperatures in the country could rise significantly following Kasukuwere's angry response to the government's seizure of his holiday home on Friday.

"I'm very concerned that following last July's post-election violence and the equally violent riots earlier this year, that we could be entering a new phase of political and social unrest - which would be tragic, as the country is just beginning to stabilise.

"My fear is that some elements could very well use Tyson's (Kasukuwere's) announcement of his return to politics to plant anarchy, realising that he still enjoys support in some party (Zanu-PF) constituencies, particularly in Mashonaland.

"As it is, and as false as the claims are, I'm greatly disturbed by talk doing the rounds that his prosecution is not just politically-motivated, but also supposedly an attack against Zezurus by Karangas.

"This spells danger to both the party (Zanu-PF) and the country if we are not careful," the worried ruling party bigwig told the Daily News.

Kasukuwere's surprise announcement regarding his pending return to politics followed a ruling by Harare regional magistrate Hosea Mujaya earlier on Friday, which granted an application by prosecutors for the former Local Government minister to forfeit a RTGS$250 000 holiday home in Nyanga, which he had put down as surety for his bail - in the corruption charges that he is facing.

Kasukuwere is said to be receiving medical attention outside the country for a yet undisclosed ailment, which has seen him failing to attend court.

In the social media posts indicating his return to politics, the former Mt Darwin legislator made it clear that he believed that his current prosecution, and the sanctioning of the disposal of his property by the courts, was politically-motivated.

"Whilst silence is golden, there comes a time when your enemies think you are enjoying it. Abuse of authority and power has limits. God Bless ZW. #itsmycountrytoo!

"This is a very good invitation back into politics. Handei tione! (Bring it on!).

"I said it will be rough, but it's gonna be rougher, but thereafter we will have a ZW we all want. This monopoly and idiocy shall be challenged. With or without, 2023 is coming. Tatamba zvakwana! (The time to fool around is over!)," Kasukuwere said on Twitter soon after learning of the court's ruling.

What surprised many about these social media posts was that the former ruling party commissar had not only previously announced that he had retired from politics, but he had also seemingly gone on to focus on his farm and other business interests over the past year, while completely refraining from participating in and commenting on political developments in the country.

This all came after he initially fled Zimbabwe in November 2017, after the military executed a popular coup against former president Robert Mugabe - with the "new dispensation"  accusing him of being one of the alleged criminals who had surrounded the frail nonagenarian.