FORMER Zanu PF Mashonaland West chairman Temba Mliswa yesterday tore into former Vice-President Joice Mujuru for failing to defend former ruling party officials who were purged for allegedly supporting her.
BY OBEY MANAYITI
Addressing a Press conference in Harare, Mliswa, who is contesting the Hurungwe West June 10 by-election as an independent candidate following his expulsion from Zanu PF, blasted Mujuru for keeping her supporters in the dark over her future political plans.
Mliswa was fired alongside Mujuru and 16 ministers and deputies on charges of plotting to remove President Robert Mugabe from power unconstitutionally.
The purge affected several top party officials including nine provincial chairpersons perceived to be part of the alleged plot. Mliswa charged that Mujuru should have stood up for axed officials and stopped the expulsions.
“Mai Mujuru has been quiet, but I believe in leaders who stand up for the people,” Mliswa said.
“If you go through a list of the number of people who suffered because of her, they are many. I sat down with my uncle (Didymus Mutasa) and said you were part of the (Zanu PF) politburo and when I was suspended what did you say? What did Mujuru say to defend me if people said I belonged to her? What did Simon Khaya Moyo (Zanu PF spokesperson) say since he was part of us?”
He said leaders should be ready to stand for the people.
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
“I back leaders who are prepared to stand for us and ask what wrong did he do? They were silent until all of us went and they went too and now they want to fight back and want us to join them in their fight. I will never, not me,” he said.
Turning to the current Zanu PF fights, Mliswa claimed the fissures were being caused by the party’s national commissar Saviour Kasukuwere and secretary for administration Ignatius Chombo who were fighting for control as they both angled to take over the presidency.
Both Chombo and Kasukuwere could not be reached for comment as they were attending a politburo meeting, but they are on record denying harbouring presidential ambitions .
About the violence in Hurungwe West, Mliswa said he was preparing a dossier of evidence of the violence perpetrated by Zanu PF candidate Keith Guzah whom he wants disqualified from the contest.
