D-Day for Didymus Mutasa

THE fate of former Zanu-PF secretary for administration Didymus Mutasa is set to be sealed today when the Politburo convenes in a crunch meeting widely expected to endorse his expulsion from the party as recommended by his home province of Manicaland.Saviour Kasukuwere, the Zanu-PF secretary for the commissariat yesterday confirmed that Mutasa's issue would be discussed adding there was little chance of his survival given the manner he had brought the name of the party into disrepute.

Kasukuwere also dismissed yesterday's press reports that Zanu-PF had chickened out on disciplining Mutasa and at least 100 parliamentarians perceived to be aligned to former Vice President Joice Mujuru.

It was clear, Zanu-PF insiders said, that the "cleansing" in Zanu-PF was not targeted at any legislators but bigwigs who were destroying the party thinking they were untouchable.

Said Kasukuwere: "Manicaland province has made its recommendation on Mutasa and it has to do with what he has been doing and what he has been saying and the party is not excited at all and we've said that before and I've said that I don't see the Politburo coming in the way of what has been recommended by Manicaland. Why would it turn around and say withdraw it?

"The party is very straightforward and is very clear, if you cross the line and if you decide to behave in a way that is unbecoming and undermines the party, the party will not just stand and allow it to happen. We have to invoke discipline in the party so the recommendation from Manicaland like I said, the highest decision making body the Politburo will discuss it."

Manicaland province recommended that the revolutionary party expel Mutasa citing a litany of allegations against him they said undermined the party and its leadership.

Some of the allegations include his attempt to involve Sadc and the AU in Zanu-PF internal matters, granting interviews to hostile private media denigrating the party and the outcome of the 6th National People's Congress held in December.

He is threatening to challenge Zanu-PF's constitutional amendments in court and the outcome of the Congress that he claims to be a legal nullity.

His Headlands constituency also accused him of dictatorial tendencies, corruption in allocating farms and abuse of women and under-age girls among other ills.

On the alleged 100 legislators, Kasukuwere said it was a myth that was being projected by some sections of the media.

"One hundred people who are supposed to be disciplined by the party, where are the charges? Who brought the charges to them? And there is this belief that Mai Mujuru has lots of people. Vapiko? (Which people?)

"MPs and those who support Zanu-PF are in the party. What we're saying is if anybody does not want to belong to Zanu-PF, they're free to resign, they're free to leave.

"Those who remain in the party know that they're members of the party and those that have been disciplined because of what they did and accepted that discipline, continue to be members of the party. The party expelled two people so far. We expelled Rugare Gumbo and we expelled Jabulani Sibanda and that is on record," Kasukuwere said.

He said Zanu-PF would not rely on rumours or pursue witch-hunts in handling its internal affairs.

He challenged the media to identify the so-called 100 MPs aligned to former VP Mujuru and her putschist cabal.

Kasukuwere said Zanu-PF remained a strong and stable political party contrary to expectations in some quarters.

"This party is as strong as it is standing ready for 2018 that is where we are driving at," he said.

"This thing (Zanu-PF) is intact and if anyone makes a mistake, they'll be disciplined. We're running a very strong and stable party that's running this country.  We went to all the 10 provinces and the membership is very solid and even those who went out making statements thinking they have followers are getting surprised."

He added that Zanu-PF would soon accelerate its drive to attract new membership.

Commenting on latest developments, senior lecturer at the University of Zimbabwe Dr Charity Manyeruke, said MPs did not belong to Mujuru and her cabal.

"These former leaders don't own people and the MPs campaigned on a Zanu-PF ticket and were elected by Zanu-PF members in their constituencies and that remains the situation," she said.

"There has never been and there's no need to fire the MPs unless there's reasonable ground to do so. The party has a constitution that's enough guide to the members and people should know that it's not just firing the MPs. Some simply need counselling."

Another commentator Nhamo Mhiripiri said: "The cleansing has taken its toll and I know the party leadership is mature enough to know that cleansing  isn't dismantling the entire system. It doesn't necessarily mean that if certain MPs have problems with certain party officials or are linked to certain people they should be fired. Proper procedures have to be followed and firing isn't the best way to go.

"There're differences and people can always engage and let the MPs speak their minds while the party is being reformed from within and the best minds will carry the day."

Lawton Hikwa from the National University of Science and Technology said it was not expedient for Zanu-PF to fire its legislators.

"I don't think that will happen," he said. "What's needed is corrective measures and not withdrawing their legitimacy to represent their constituencies. Those linked to certain people are still members of the party and they still represent their constituencies and it is not expedient to recall them."