PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe told Zanu PF politburo members to relinquish their posts if they are not happy with where they were deployed as fresh divisions widen in the party, sources have revealed.
By Everson Mushava
The Zanu PF politburo met last week and Mugabe reportedly warned senior party members against using youths to fight their wars.
Mugabe is said to have told the party officials to take lessons from the ouster of former Vice-President Joice Mujuru.
“If you are not satisfied with the post we gave you, you are free to leave the position,” a source quoted Mugabe as saying.
“You are here not because of your qualifications, but because we have deployed you.
“No one is bigger than the party. You are free to leave if you are unhappy with our deployment.”
Zanu PF spokesperson Simon Khaya-Moyo was not picking calls yesterday while the party’s secretary for administration Ignatius Chombo, was said to be in South Africa.
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Mugabe’s outburst followed reports that some politburo members were disgruntled because they felt let down and not adequately rewarded for campaigning for Mujuru’s downfall.
Environment minister Oppah Muchinguri after surrendering her powerful position as women’s league boss to Mugabe’s wife Grace, was appointed secretary for transport while High Education minister Jonathan Moyo was appointed secretary for science and technology.
Muchinguri, Moyo, political commissar Saviour Kasukuwere and Mugabe’s nephew Patrick Zhuwao, with the help of Grace, spearheaded the fall of Mujuru and over 140 party members linked to her alleged plot to oust Mugabe.
Kasukuwere said he would not discuss things that took place in the politburo.
“Are you a politburo member, if you want to be in the politburo, join Zanu PF and we will appoint you,” Kasukuwere said.
Mujuru’s ouster has failed to seal the ever widening rifts in Zanu PF.
The 91-year-old leader early this month said that party members were now divided with camps supporting Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa and Phelekezela Mphoko.
“Some say we played a major role in the ouster of Mujuru but were not given the positions we wanted, you are free to leave the positions.
“Mujuru and (ex-secretary for administration Didymus) Mutasa should be a lesson to you,” Mugabe reportedly said.
Muchinguri was linked to the post of secretary of administration post that was given to Chombo.
Mugabe also castigated party officials using youths and women for “factional gains”.
“Why should you use the youths to hate other party members,” Mugabe reportedly questioned.
The latest battle ground is Manicaland, where Muchinguri was reportedly flexing muscles and threatening to deal with her perceived enemies.
After the release of Muchinguri’s alleged audio tape bad mouthing fellow Zanu PF officials, infighting has reached a new high in Manicaland, with the youth being used as pawns.
Soon after Mugabe’s opening remarks, Muchinguri is said to have left the politburo meeting and returned after close to two hours.
“The politburo started at around 1300 hrs. Soon after the President’s opening remarks, Muchinguri left and returned at around 1700hrs,” a well-placed source said.
Muchinguri was not picking calls on her mobile phone yesterday.
She did not respond to a text message sent to her mobile phone number until the time of going to print.
