Top Zanu PF official frets over opposition links

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By Brenna Matendere Losing Zanu PF Gweru Urban candidate and President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s nephew, Esau Natare, is fretting over allegations that he is leaking classified secret information to the Nelson Chamisa-led MDC Alliance.

By Brenna Matendere

Losing Zanu PF Gweru Urban candidate and President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s nephew, Esau Natare, is fretting over allegations that he is leaking classified secret information to the Nelson Chamisa-led MDC Alliance.

Natare, who is also the Gweru Brigade Commander for the National Youth Service, is serving a one-year suspension over the charge after the Zanu PF Midlands provincial coordinating committee adjudged that the allegations needed investigation.

However, in an interview on Friday, Natare said his hands were clean, but just for the sake of the party and Mnangagwa, he apologised for the “purported misdemeanour”.

“I was suspended a couple of months ago over allegations of leaking party information to hostile organisations and in particular opposition MDC,” he said.

“However, I want to make it clear that this week I have since sat down with Midlands secretary for administration Cde Manyima to explain my case.

“I have explained that if they are convinced that I ever did such a thing, then I am sorry. However, the truth of the matter is that I never sold the party to anyone. I am loyal to Zanu PF and President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

“In the province there have been reports that there is bad blood between me and the leaders like Cde Manyima, but it’s all false.

“We have come a long way with Cde Manyima. I have since met the leaders and cleared my name over the allegations.”

In the 2018 general elections, Natare lost the Gweru Urban poll to MDC Alliance’s deputy legal affairs secretary Brian Dube.

His suspension from Zanu PF early this year means he will not stand as a candidate in the coming party district coordinating committee elections where he was favourite to land the post of chairman.

He, however, said he has no hard feelings about the suspension.

“I remain a loyal son of Zanu PF and because I have apologised to leaders of the party, I will stand guided on the way forward. What I have done is to apologise if anyone thought I was guilty so that the Zanu PF party can move forward,” Natare said.