'Mutasa a political Ebola'

HORDES of placard-waving Zanu-PF supporters in Headlands last week furiously attacked Didymus Mutasa and demanded his abrupt recall from the legislature describing him as a "political Ebola" posing weird threat to the political landscape and overripe for quarantining alongside a demented army of his cohorts.

Mutasa's status as a legislator for Headlands has all along been under heavy criticism and unprecedented assault as a result of his overbearing attitude towards the people.

And party supporters last Thursday came out of the shell and poured out their hearts, describing Mutasa, who they also want expelled, as a politician who knew of nothing but imposing his will on the people as he sought to extend the frontiers of his penchant for political dominance.

Zanu-PF Politburo members Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri, Patrick Chinamasa and Kudzi Chipanga; Central Committee members Dr Joseph Made, Dr Samuel Undenge, Win Mlambo and Joseph Mujati were part of the Manicaland leadership that addressed the demonstrating party supporters.

First to let the cat out of the bag was war veteran Peter Musimwa, who has for the past decade been bitterly clashing with the disgraced former party guru, who said Headlands' call for its legislator's expulsion, as belated as it may seem, must be understood as sincere appreciation of the uselessness and the liability Mutasa has become.

"We have tried to advise Mutasa to rectify the cracks in a house whose imminent collapse will find him the only occupant and casualty. His arrogance and ignorance have put us at crossroads. For once Headlands has been liberated," charged Musimwa.

"Those in Zanu-PF sitting is similar houses are advised accordingly, noting that leadership comes and goes, and, those who remain true to the founding spirit of the struggle are the remnant with the zeal and resilience of the impeccable diamond," added Musimwa.

Another war veteran, Musendo Sendekera, said Mutasa was a politician of unlimited contradictions, coupled with an uncanny ability to stray even into sacred grounds.

"He has a long history of betrayal. Now look at him, he has turned his back against his own to become the gold that rusts.  If gold starts to rust, and, iron remains without blemish, it becomes inevitable to revalue iron beyond the status of what we thought was gold. Mutasa has refused to submit to the censure meted by the party as deserving punishment for a loved child and this leaves Zanu-PF without option but to kick him out," said Sendekera.

Mhuruyengwe said Mutasa has absolutely nothing to show for the time he has been a legislator and a minister.

"He reminds us of the baggage of deadwood that was recycled by President Mugabe purely on the basis that they were expected to redeem themselves along the way.

"Mutasa is the MP for Headlands, and to say the truth, this constituency has deteriorated for all the years that he has been at its helm," said Mhuruyengwe.

This should be regarded as a serious indictment on a man who overrates himself as national player and yet what must be his constituency is a trail of chaos, confusion and mediocrity.

Mhuruyengwe added: "He was never our choice of MP, but imposed himself on us. He was a dictator. For all these years, Mutasa has been unleashing violence on those opposed to his will.

"He is evil, and has inflicted a lot of pain and suffering on the people. Aive mdhara werekeni, he is corrupt and must be investigated and arrested. He dispatched a group of militias on me and I was left for dead. He wanted my head and the youths cut my dreadlock and presented it to him as evidence that they had dealt with me. That man is evil, hear it from me."

The embattled politician was accused of barring his rival in the recent Headlands primary elections, Christopher Chingosho.

Chingosho, who was hoisted by the demonstrators, has emerged as a favourite to replace the embattled ex-Zanu-PF national secretary for administration.

Chingosho, a top civil servant with the Woman Affairs ministry, was controversially disqualified in successive Zanu-PF primary elections by the politburo, then congested by the then Vice President Joice Mujuru's foot soldiers, despite the district, provincial and national election directorates having recommended him to stand.

Mutasa was the then only member of the Zanu-PF presidium who had been challenged in the primary elections after Zanu-PF national chairman Simon Khaya Moyo and Vice President Joice Mujuru sailed through unopposed.

Chingosho's campaign trail had destabilised Mutasa and those aware of the political gymnastics in Zanu PF were anxiously waiting to see how the party would react.

Chingosho's supporters were bitter that the politburo preferred a perennial non-performer at the expense of dynamic young turk capable of changing the face of the constituency.

"Mutasa continues to live in the shadows of a past that was only possible through sheer brute force and chicanery that the voters in Headlands have since condemned as unacceptable and never to be repeated," said Chingosho before handing over a petition to Muchinguri.

Muchinguri apologised on behalf of the party leadership.

"We are sorry for failing to respect your wishes all along. Forgive us, for allowing Didymus Mutasa to impose his will on you. We sincerely apologise because we know that he was not your choice for an MP. You had long rejected him.

"We have made a resolution to have him fired from the party and parliament and we will annex this petition to our request to Politburo," said Muchinguri.

Chinamasa said with the recent fall from grace where Mutasa lost the prestigious positions of being a central committee and politburo member of Zanu PF as well as minister of Government responsible for national security in the President's office, he does not have an iota of a chance in winning that constituency in any election whether as a Zanu PF member, or independent or some other party outside Zanu PF.

Mutasa's legacy is a litany of shoddy performances built around imposing himself and others in the leadership of Manicaland. Also not to be forgotten is the fact that

Mutasa has changed constituencies in Makoni District in the same way a man changes his shirts as soon as they become dirty and throws them away.