'Kasukuwere unfit to hold office,' says Zanu-PF leaders

LEADERS of Zanu-PF affiliate organisations say ruling party National Political Commissar, Saviour Kusukuwere, is sowing seeds of discord in the liberation movement, pointing out that there are many people better qualified to occupy that office.

The leaders said the office of political commissar should be held by a tried and tested cadre with liberation war credentials and with a strong appreciation of Zanu-PF's guiding ideology.

At a meeting held with their Patron, President Mugabe, at City Sports Centre in Harare yesterday, former political detainees and restrictees; and widows and widowers of national liberation war heroes, war collaborators and non-combatant cadres, accused Kasukuwere of fanning internal fights.

Presenting a report on "Threats to the Party and the Revolution", former Zanu-PF Harare Province chair Godwills Masimirembwa said Kasukuwere was exerting an inordinate amount of energy on expelling members instead of mobilising support for the liberation movement. Masimirembwa also said the imposition of election candidates by the commissar was fuelling divisions. A tense looking Kasukuwere sat stonily as the resolutions were read.

Said Masimirembwa; "External threats such as Western countries and the opposition have now gone on holiday and it is now the internal fights that are set to destroy Zanu-PF from within.

"Tete vemusangano vari kuonekwa vakabata demo vachitema makavi emusangano. Vana venyu vari kuti hamuna nzira yemusangano. Vana tete vemusangano vazere muno. Vari kudzinga nhengo dzemusangano dzisina mhosva. Ndivo vava jury, judge, prosecutor, varindi vemajeri vanoti vakiya vorasa makeys acho. (The commissar is moving around with an axe, hacking away at the core of the party. We are saying the commissar is not upholding the ideals of the party. There are many potential commissars in here. The commissar is firing innocent party members. The commissar is the jury, judge, prosecutor, and prison guard who throws away the keys after locking up the jail.)

"We (also) have an issue of the imposition of candidates before and after elections in wards. An example is of Norton where the Commissariat was at the forefront of imposing candidates. CVs and party regulations are no longer working and this has caused disunity with the party," Masimerembwa said.

He also took a swipe at party officials who abused social media and used it to fuel internal fights; and urged the leadership to treat the issue as a matter of urgency.

"Some senior party officials continue to abuse the social media to attack other party members and fuelling internal fights.

Your Excellency, you have warned us repeatedly against the abuse of social media but tine nhinhi pakati pedu (we have stubborn trouble makers among us)."

Other thematic reports presented centred on party ideology, war veterans statutory benefits, economic empowerment and the liberation war heritage.

Addressing journalists in Harare last week, Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association chair Mr Christopher Mutsvangwa also called for Kasukuwere's removal for allegedly failing to carry out his duties.