×
NewsDay

AMH is an independent media house free from political ties or outside influence. We have four newspapers: The Zimbabwe Independent, a business weekly published every Friday, The Standard, a weekly published every Sunday, and Southern and NewsDay, our daily newspapers. Each has an online edition.

I am allergic to Zanu PF — Chamisa

Politics
Cabinet minister and MDC-T national spokesperson Nelson Chamisa on Sunday fumed at reports that he is “Zanu PF to the bone” and bootlicks President Robert Mugabe. Contrary to reports by the State-controlled media that the Information Communication Technology minister worships the ageing leader, based on a note to a Cabinet colleague, Chamisa said some ministers […]

Cabinet minister and MDC-T national spokesperson Nelson Chamisa on Sunday fumed at reports that he is “Zanu PF to the bone” and bootlicks President Robert Mugabe.

Contrary to reports by the State-controlled media that the Information Communication Technology minister worships the ageing leader, based on a note to a Cabinet colleague, Chamisa said some ministers had embarked on a smear campaign to tarnish his image and sow seeds of discontent ahead of the MDC-T party’s elective congress at the end of the month.

He described the report published in The Sunday Mail with a copy of the alleged handwritten note as “utter rubbish” and an attempt to assassinate his character.

Contacted by NewsDay, Chamisa promised to provide samples of his authentic handwriting by today as he was in Masvingo on Sunday.

Said Chamisa: “I don’t have such an ugly handwriting. I am allergic to Zanu PF to the marrow. I do not talk to Zanu PF ministers. It’s not possible to do that in Cabinet.

“There are people who failed to assassinate me on March 18 2007 who now want to assassinate my character. I am aware of their plan, hate, malice and mendacity. They want to create and sow seeds of doubts to my full loyalty and conviction in the struggle for democracy. I don’t worship the devil. I am a son of God, I believe in pure things and the MDC is the embodiment of that spirit and Zanu PF is the opposite.”

He added: “I can’t possibly claim to be a woman when I am man. Chances of being a woman are higher than me being Zanu PF even after resurrection.”

Chamisa said there were people working on video recordings as part of a smear campaign against him. At the weekend, the state media published what they claimed was a letter written by Chamisa where he was quoted as having said “for now” he was Zanu PF to the bone, and described President Mugabe as “special in many ways”.

It is alleged that on March 1 2011 when Chamisa reportedly wrote the note, “the MDC-T was hoping for an Egypt-style uprising allegedly led by Crisis Coalition (a civil society organisation) against the government and so police had deployed several officers around the country”.

“When greatness shall be measured, the man in the chair (referring to President Mugabe who chairs Cabinet) shall be one among a few. I am impressed by his wisdom and deftness in dealing with matters and affairs of the State,” Chamisa is alleged to have written.

“I wonder who, among the aspirants, possesses even a ¼ of what he possesses. “He is a great man. A man of a golden mind — agile and special in many ways. Meetings are different with him. It explains why I have not attacked him for a long while. My bone is with Zanu PF for now.” On the day he purportedly wrote the note, MDC-T ministers had reportedly demanded an explanation on why the security details had maintained a heavy presence in most townships amid reports of political violence, selective arrests and prosecution of MDC-T officials and supporters after President Mugabe had promised an extraordinary Cabinet meeting could be convened to deal with the issues.

President Mugabe then reportedly gave them the floor to express their views and later advised that the MDC-T would be given a chance to discuss the allegations.

Although the identity of the Cabinet colleague Chamisa reportedly wrote to was concealed, several names in Zanu PF have been touted.