PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe is today expected to come face to face with alleged “Zanu PF gay gangsters and CIA agents” when the party’s politburo meets to try and calm a potentially explosive storm that has reached boiling point ahead of the December elective congress.
MOSES MATENGA/EVERSON MUSHAVA
The meeting comes as succession fights have taken ugly turns and twists with some top officials publicly labelling their rivals “CIA spies and gay gangsters”, while others have engaged in physical fights centred on factionalism.
Zanu PF spokesperson Rugare Gumbo yesterday said the party politburo would discuss the action to take on errant members when they meet.
“That’s an issue which will be dealt with by the politburo. We have read in the papers, but the politburo will meet and come up with a decision,” Gumbo said.
He, however, declined to comment on the alleged assault of Mashonaland West provincial chairman Temba Mliswa by fellow executive member Beauty Zhuwao on Monday.
Beauty Zhuwao is the wife of Mugabe’s nephew and politburo member Patrick Zhuwao.
“It is a provincial matter that will be dealt with at the level,” Gumbo said.
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A statement, seen by NewsDay, from Zanu PF secretary for administration Didymus Mutasa confirmed that the politburo meeting would take place at the party’s headquarters at 10am.
Although the agenda of the meeting could not be made public yesterday, NewsDay understands the public spat between party heavyweights along factional grounds had jolted Mugabe into action.
Zanu PF officials have, for the past few months, been embroiled in nasty mudslinging matches as faction leaders jostled to strategically position themselves to succeed Mugabe.
The fights have seen a faction reportedly linked to Justice minister Emmerson Mnangagwa labelling MPs linked to Vice-President Joice Mujuru’s camp as the “Dirty Dozen” and United States secret service agency Central Intelligence Agency spies after the legislators allegedly received development aid from the US Embassy.
Hurungwe MP Temba Mliswa was on Monday slapped by Beauty Zhuwao, forcing the abrupt adjournment of a provincial co-ordinating committee meeting.
Mliswa had in the morning addressed a Press conference in Harare where he blasted Information minister Jonathan Moyo, Environment minister Saviour Kasukuwere and Zanu PF deputy information director Psychology Maziwisa, accusing them of hijacking the party.
Zhuwao was not spared in Mliswa’s attacks, claiming he was fronting a movement to topple his uncle, Mugabe, who last month was forced to address another impromptu politburo meeting after tempters flared over the entry of his wife, Grace, into the political arena.
The faction reportedly linked to Mnangagwa was accusing the Mujuru camp of attempting to block Grace’s rise to political stardom.
Mugabe waded into the conflict and threatened to deal with Harare South MP Shadreck Mashayamombe, who was being accused of fronting the resistance to Grace.
Sources told NewsDay party members from the Mnangagwa camp were planning to write a petition to have Mliswa fired as provincial chairman.
They allege, among other reasons, that the former Warriors’ fitness trainer did not hail from the province.
However, other sources claim Mliswa was being sacrificed by Zanu PF officials loyal to Local Government minister Ignatius Chombo and Information Technology minister Webster Shamu who felt threatened by Mliswa after he tore apart their provincial godfather tag.
Mliswa has already clashed with Shamu’s wife, Constance.
Political analyst Alexander Rusero described the Zanu PF fights as “a war of all against all, each men for himself, Mugabe for us all. It is no longer about factions; it is now about individuals, war of attention and mudslinging”.
He added: “It is going to continue like that until the December congress. But the country will be suffering. Zanu PF is forgetting that they have a bigger mandate beyond party politics.”
