THREE top allies of Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa from Mashonaland Central yesterday lost their Zanu PF posts for allegedly inviting him to a controversial function organised by an apostolic sect recently.
BY XOLISANI NCUBE
The purge, similar to the one that targeted ousted Vice-President Joice Mujuru, has been linked to the vicious battle to succeed President Robert Mugabe.
Zanu PF provincial youth league chair, Godfrey Tsenengamu, his secretary for administration Paul Rwodzi and secretary for security, Batsirai Musani were thrown out of a provincial coordinating committee (PCC) meeting for allegedly being part of the Mnangagwa camp.
Tsenengamu confirmed the development, accusing Local Government minister Saviour Kasukuwere, and his brother, who is also provincial chair Dickson Mafios of “persecuting them and plotting to destroy their political careers”.
“We are being persecuted because we have refused to be part of their Generation 40 project…a group of people who are working hard to remove the President [Mugabe],” Tsenengamu alleged.
Zanu PF is embroiled in a factional battle to succeed 91-year-old Mugabe.
The battle is allegedly between Mnangagwa and a group of youthful politicians that have roped in First Lady Grace Mugabe and are calling themselves Generation 40.
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Although no one has publicly admitted of having ambitions to succeed Mugabe, the G40 is said to have within its ranks, Kasukuwere, Mugabe’s nephew Patrick Zhuwao, Higher Education minister, Jonathan Moyo among other young Turks.
According to Tsenengamu, Kasukuwere who is the political head of the province, pushed for his ouster for allegedly inviting Mnangagwa to Madzibaba Wimbo’s shrine where he had gone on a school fundraising event.
“They are saying I invited Vice President Mnangagwa at the Wimbo church without their knowledge but the truth is I did not invite him, he was invited by the church and it happens that I go to that church,” he said.
“Let this be known that I will not be part of their cabal which seeks to remove President Mugabe and have G40 as our leaders.
“We will defend the president at all cost even if they are to fire us, we will still defend the president from outside”.
Mafios also confirmed that Tsenengamu and two others had been booted out through votes of no confidence for allegedly embezzling party funds, holding secret meetings with other party leaders from other provinces without the knowledge of the Mashonaland Central leadership, factionalism among other crimes.
“He was holding secret meetings with people we had suspended for working with the gamatox camp promising them that he has power to protect them.
“He has been holding secret meetings kangaroo meetings with party structures without the leadership knowledge,” Mafios claimed.
“He has also been holding private meetings with party leaders from other provinces discussing about this leadership without the approval of us and that has caused division in the province.”
Sources who attended the PCC meeting said Mashonaland Central Provincial Affairs Minister, Martin Dinha was also quizzed for allowing Mnangagwa to visit the province without their approval.
But Dinha is said to have stood his ground and accused Kasukuwere and Mafios of playing factional politics and abusing the names of First Lady, Grace Mugabe and Vice-President Phelekezela Mphoko.
“Kasukuwere was forced to deny that he was leader of G40 as Dinha attacked him right, left and centre,” said a provincial executive member.
Kasukuwere was not answering his phone yesterday.
Another party insider said Tsenengamu fell out of favour with the First Lady despite being one of the seven youth leaders who travelled throughout the country denouncing Mujuru because he has been boasting about his influence and role in the destruction of “gamatox”.
“They abuse (the gang of seven youth leaders) this thing of group of seven and feel as if they can get away with their misdeed because they fought gamatox,” said a party member.
The vote of no confidence comes as he had been arrested for allegedly stealing a beast that was donated towards Mugabe’s birthday bash.
Tsenengamu is not the only one to have been accused of stealing Mugabe beasts.
The move also comes amid reports that Martin Dinha face fresh allegations of allegedly kidnapping a Chinese national Cheng Minglei also known as Ray.
Dinha who is currently on bail facing allegations of extortion allegedly engineering the disappearance of Minglei who is being accused of swindling a local company based in Bindura huge amounts of money. The Chinese national is allegedly on the run and police have since issued notices to that effect.
Zanu PF insiders told the standard that the plot to have Dinha arrested involved top Zanu PF officials in the province, senior police members and some Intelligence officials who wanted the minister out of his job and replaced.
Although Dinha was unavailable for a comment, Mafios refused to comment on the matter saying it’s nonsensical. “That’s rubbish” he said.
But source were adamant that Dinha was be the next target
“They want to pile more criminal charges on Dinha and blemish his record in the eyes of the First Family who have so far stood steadfast with him even as he faces criminal abuse of office and bribery allegations,” a party source said. Grace on Thursday threatened to expose senior party leaders allegedly promoting factionalism the same way she did with Mujuru last year.
Mujuru was accused of plotting to unseat Mugabe through witchcraft and assassination.
