A ZANU PF probe team set to resolve the party’s bell-shaped rifts has come under the spotlight with disgruntled members from a faction reportedly led by Defence minister Emmerson Mnangagwa blaming it for propping up another one allegedly led by Vice-President Joice Mujuru.
Report by Everson Mushava
This came as the probe team led by party chairperson Simon Khaya Moyo is today expected to meet the party’s Masvingo provincial leadership with tensions running high following speculation that a new team would be installed.
Although party spokesperson Rugare Gumbo yesterday said he was not aware of Khaya Moyo’s Masvingo visit, sources confirmed the team is expected in Masvingo today where serious factional fighting was unfolding, according to a letter reportedly written to Khaya Moyo by Masvingo provincial commissar Tranos Huruva.
Informed sources, however, said the Mnangagwa faction was by yesterday mobilising to resist the ouster of the Lovemore Matuke-led executive with traditional chiefs also weighing in planning to stall the planned move.
They said the new changes could catapult Mwenezi MP Kudakwashe Bhasikiti and Hospitality minister Walter Mzembi to provincial chairperson and vice-chair respectively.
Other names being touted for the provincial executive were that of Brigadier Gibson Mashingaidze and nationalist Nelson Mawema, among others, reportedly believed to belong to the Mujuru faction.
Khaya Moyo’s team recently dislodged provincial chairpersons in Manicaland and Matabeleland, giving credence to speculation that the Matuke executive would be booted out today while other members could be co-opted into the interim provincial leadership.
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So intense were the fights that, according to sources, there was serious face-off between Justice minister Patrick Chinamasa, who is reportedly linked to the Mnangagwa faction, and Zanu PF secretary for administration Didymus Mutasa, an alleged Mujuru loyalist, in last week’s politburo meeting.
“The team wants all provincial executives to be controlled by the Mujuru faction. This will destroy the party and lead to another protest vote in the forthcoming polls. “Right now they say they have resolved the Manicaland issue, but I tell you the issue is still raw,” the sources said.
Mutasa, also part of the Khaya Moyo team, who is at the centre of Manicaland infighting, however, denied they were propping up Mujuru saying the team was simply doing its work as mandated by the Zanu PF politburo.
“These are complete lies. There is nothing like that,” Mutasa quipped.
“You should take some of this information your sources give you with a pinch of salt. Mike Madiro (former Manicaland chairman) was suspended because he had an offence. It is not Mutasa who committed the offence. We were sent by the party and we are doing party business.”
Refuting the allegations that the Khaya Moyo-led team wants to appoint members loyal to the Mujuru faction in Masvingo, Mutasa said: “Why don’t you wait and see what will happen there.”
Madiro was suspended for allegedly stealing beasts meant for Mugabe’s birthday bash last year, a case currently before the courts.
Repeated efforts to get a comment from Khaya Moyo were fruitless as he was not answering his mobile phone yesterday.
