Mavhaire mocks Mugabe

Former Zanu-PF politburo member and ex-Energy minister, Dzikamai Mavhaire, savagely tore into President Robert Mugabe on Saturday, referring to the increasingly frail nonagenarian as a "spirit".

Addressing thousands of former Vice President Joice Mujuru's Zimbabwe People First (ZPF) supporters who gathered in Harare for her maiden rally in the capital, Mavhaire threw barb after barb at Mugabe.

"Ndakati rimwe gore ndiri ndega ndikati munhu uyu waakupenga uyu, imi mose mukandirambira imi … zvakanzi izvo kubva kare nakare mapato akasiyana siyana ezvamatongerwo enyika aitaura iwo kuti vatungamiriri vanoenda, misangano ichienda asi vanhu vanoramba varipo.

"Saka tichitaura kuti kana munhu akapuwawo mukana akaitavo baba, akaitavo sekuru, kuti azosvika kuita tateguru zvinozonetsa achingovapo (I once said Mugabe is now mad and people refused to believe that. Political parties have always known that leaders and parties come and go, but people will always be there. That is why we say if a person is given an opportunity to be a leader, it is not proper for him to rule forever)," he said to deafening applause.

The former Zanu-PF secretary for production and labour said even those people in mental health facilities such as Ngomahuru and Ingutsheni could allegedly tell that it was "insane" for Mugabe to rule from the grave, as had recently been intimated by powerful First Lady Grace Mugabe.

Mavhaire also said ZPF boasted of "real freedom fighters" who were part of the Dare Rechimurenga (war council), adding mockingly that there were no surviving members of the Dare Rechimurenga left in Zanu-PF — which all meant that the ruling party could not call itself a revolutionary party because real freedom fighters had left the party.

"Revolutionary does not mean distributing residential stands that do not belong to you. Tinavo vakaruka hondo yeChimurenga vanozivikanwa nemabook, vamunoziva. Mukangoti ava ndiani, ndivaRugare Gumbo, woti ah ndidzo nhengo dzeDare Rechimurenga idzi, dzinozivikanwa nevanhu vese.

"Haikona kuti unongofuma woti neniwo, navanatabveMvuma kwanzi neniwo, kupiko (we have real fighters with a track record like Rugare Gumbo who was part of the Dare Rechimurenga. We are shocked that we now have johnny-come-latelies who claim they were also part of the war).

"Nyangwe patakazoonekana natateguru ndovakatanga kutaura kuti iko ah hazvisi kufamba zvakanaka, zvikachinzi iwe wanyanyisa kuona chitanga kubuda. ndivaRugare Gumbo vakanzi chibuda tiri muchiimba icho eh.

"Saka ndafara zvikuru kuti nhasi mati tiite meeting takatarisana nechiimba icho (Even when we parted ways with the spirit (Mugabe), Gumbo was the first person to highlight that things were not working properly. Rugare was forced out of that house (Zanu-PF's national headquarters), so I am happy that we have held our rally facing that house)" he said.

Mavhaire added that it was now time for Mugabe to retire and play with his grandchild, further calling on State agents to leave his party members alone.

"Isu hatina chatinovanza. Hatina chatinoda kuti munhu akanganise. Saka mapurisa, masoja nemaCIO havafanirwi kutinetsa nekuti hatina chatinoita chakavanda. Tinotorwavo nekuvabatsirawo ivo kuti vagarewo zvakanaka kana zvinhu zvanaka (We have nothing to hide and so I urge the police, soldiers and CIOs not to trouble us. We are actually fighting for them to have a better life as well).

"Chinangwa chedu ndechekuti kana 2018, kana isati yasvika, chero nguva yangodaidzirwa kuti maelections, isu road yedu totoenda kuState House nekuti hapasisina munhu (our mission is to win the elections and go to State House because we no longer have a president).

"Ko pangagova nemunhu anoti chero paagara anenge avete? Handichazvinzwisisi ini. Imi hamunzwiri mumwe tsitsi imi? (How can a person (Mugabe) just sleep everywhere he sits. I don't understand this. Why don't you  (Zanu-PF) feel pity for him?)" Mavhaire said.