TWO Midlands Zanu PF MPs, Masango “Blackman” Matambanadzo and Owen “Mudha” Ncube, were on Sunday involved in a physical brawl following nasty exchanges centred on political superiority and abuse of gold panners for political expediency.
BLESSED MHLANGA
Although no comment could be obtained from both Matambanadzo and Ncube, witnesses said the two clashed a day after an inter-party district meeting in Kwekwe where Matambanadzo was reportedly introduced as representing Justice minister Emmerson Mnangagwa.
According to sources, this did not go down well with Ncube — the Gokwe-Kana MP, who is believed to be Mnangagwa’s “blue-eyed boy”.
The eyewitnesses, however, said the two later crossed swords after Ncube jokingly claimed that Matambanadzo had recently missed his flight from China while he was shopping for a vest.
Ncube, who was last year accused of using violence against perceived political opponents, was in May this year also faulted for hiring some party activists from Kwekwe to heckle Gokwe-Nembudziya MP Justice Mayor Wadyajena at an inter-district party event officiated by Mnangagwa at Gokwe Centre.
Matambanadzo, who is Kwekwe Central MP, was one of the 27 local MPs who recently spent five days holed in China after they missed their return flight after going on a private shopping junket. Police sources in Amaveni said Matambanadzo lost his temper and beat up Ncube after the latter allegedly suggested that he got lost while shopping for a vest in China.
Documents at hand showed that Ncube reported the matter at Kwekwe Central Police Station under CR59/07/14.
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Matambanadzo is yet to be questioned over the alleged assault incident.
Midlands provincial police spokesman Inspector Joel Goko, however, said he was not aware of the incident.
But an eyewitness, Farai Nyakupinda, said the fight started after Matambanadzo accused Ncube of abusing gold panners and party youths to boost his political profile.
“Blackman was accusing Ncube of abusing the gold panners for his benefit while Ncube made fun of his (Matambanadzo)’s vest which he said had been bought in China while the plane was leaving,” Nyakupinda said.
Allen Nyashanu also said before the physical contact, the MPs met privately to iron out their differences, but failed to agree. Ncube later drove off with Matambanadzo in hot pursuit.
