Prof Jonathan Moyo, Mnangagwa named in the 'Clean Dozen'

EXPELLED former Zanu-PF spokesperson Rugare Gumbo's claims that Zanu-PF has been hijacked by what he called a Gang of 4 mafikizolos (Johnnie-come-latelies) has no basis in reality according to investigations by The Herald.

Gumbo has been giving interviews, primarily to the Daily News, claiming that Zanu-PF had been "hijacked" by what he calls "the Gang of Four" - comprising Oppah Muchinguri, Saviour Kasukuwere, Jonathan Moyo and Patrick Zhuwao,.

Investigations by The Herald that traced developments in the revolutionary party since the chaotic Youth and Women's League Conferences held in August last year, however, revealed that after the Mujuru cabal tried to manipulate the Youth and Women's League conferences, through organised chaos, as they had done with the preceding provincial elections, Zanu-PF constituted a committee to not only rescue the Women's League Conference but also to defend the President and First Secretary whom the cabal sought to depose.

Readers may recall that President Mugabe and First Lady Grace Mugabe had to dip into their own pockets to rescue the Youth Conference after thousands of delegates went without food and transport.

Zanu-PF appeared headed for yet another embarrassment with the Women's conference amid reports that no adequate preparations had been made to ensure food and transport for 4 000 delegates who were expected to converge in Harare for the Women's League Conference.

The Women's League had to approach selected Politburo members - Saviour Kasukuwere, Jonathan Moyo and Patrick Zhuwao, along with businessman Philip Chiyangwa - to rescue the situation at the 11th hour, with the quartet donating 20 beasts, five apiece and working around the clock to plug loopholes.

This is the committee that later became a Committee of 12 with the principal objective of restoring the President's authority within the party, which authority was being undermined by the Mujuru cabal that had illegally installed, in their minds, the then VP as de facto party leader.

It is important to note that the committee was non-existent till the chaos of the Youth and Women's League Conferences necessitated its convening.

The group that convened around the time other party members were embroiled in the spygate saga - the Dirty Dozen - was the anti-thesis, the de facto 'Clean Dozen'.

Members of the "Clean Dozen" were Saviour Kasukuwere (the convener), Professor Jonathan Moyo (co-convener), Emmerson Mnangagwa, Edna Madzongwe, Prisca Mupfumira, Oppah Muchinguri, Monica Mutsvangwa, Makhosini Hlongwane, Ignatius Chombo, Josiah Hungwe, Philip Chiyangwa and Patrick Zhuwao.

The group usually met at Kasukuwere's Comoil offices in Marlborough, their usual meeting place, although they also had meetings at different places.

They also regularly had lunch at the popular restaurant along East Road in Avondale, the Fishmonger, a place popularised by Western ambassadors - the Fishmonger Group - that regularly met there to try to crack the Zimbabwe puzzle.

The 12-member committee was instrumental in the organisation and funding of the First Lady's Meet the People rallies during which Dr Mujuru's sinister plot was exposed to the party membership.

Though efforts to get comment from members of the committee were unsuccessful, highly placed sources confirmed that the group was non-existent till the chaos of the Youth and Women's League conferences, and was not formed to hijack the party but rather save it from the cabal that wanted power for power's sake.