Mugabe reiterates warning to Mutasa

Zanu-PF President and First Secretary Mugabe yesterday has warned the party's former secretary for Administration Didymus Mutasa against taking his grievances to the High Court, saying the affairs of the party could not be resolved outside the party constitution.

The President's warning comes ahead of a disciplinary hearing against Mutasa set to be held next week after the National Disciplinary Committee failed to meet in the past few weeks due to the non-availability of some of its members.

Addressing journalists after a Politburo meeting yesterday, secretary for Information and Publicity Simon Khaya Moyo said the President told Politburo members to act within the confines of the constitution and that the party was superior to any individual.

"His Excellency the President and First Secretary of our party opened the meeting with a very clear message and the message is that every member of the Politburo must be thoroughly familiar with the provisions of our party's constitution so they conduct their responsibilities within the context of that constitution," he said.

"And of course the emphasis of that was that no one is above the party, the party is supreme and no one should consider himself or herself as above the party. The party is supreme because it has its own principles.

"It has its own rules and practices which are not subject to High Court as some people falsely believe and that if you are truly a party cadre there are structures within the party that you must use in order to get your concerns addressed, but not through the High Court or whatever legal institution outside the party."

Mutasa was deposed from his seat at the 6th National People's Congress last year after he was accused of working with former Vice President Joice Mujuru to illegally remove President Mugabe from power.

Since then he has been on a crusade denigrating the party, its leadership and the outcome of the congress and has approached Sadc and the AU with his case and is also considering taking his removal from his position to the High Court.

Khaya Moyo said during the Politburo meeting, President Mugabe urged party members to remain united and defend the country's sovereignty.

Khaya Moyo said secretary for Administration Ignatius Chombo presented a report on the impeding re-organisation of the party's administrative structures from national headquarters to offices countrywide.

"Chombo gave a detailed expose on the proposed administrative reorganisation of our party headquarters and other institutions in various provinces where we need to ensure that everything is working to our expectations," he said.

"A number of renovations at headquarters must be carried out so that the building ultimately becomes a citadel of the ruling party and must reflect that we are the ruling party."

Khaya Moyo said secretary for the Commissariat Saviour Kasukuwere gave a detailed report on the countrywide tour he undertook to familiarise himself with party structures and the ongoing restructuring exercise.

Deputy Secretary for War Veterans, Detainees, Restrictees and their Welfare Christopher Mutsvangwa gave a report on meetings he has held with various structures of war veterans.