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Mugabe’s nephew rips into Mutsvangwa

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PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe’s nephew, Patrick Zhuwao, yesterday blasted War Veterans minister Christopher Mutsvangwa and described threats by a group of former liberation war fighters to block some politburo members from attending tomorrow’s meeting as akin to usurping the Zanu PF leader’s authority.

PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe’s nephew, Patrick Zhuwao, yesterday blasted War Veterans minister Christopher Mutsvangwa and described threats by a group of former liberation war fighters to block some politburo members from attending tomorrow’s meeting as akin to usurping the Zanu PF leader’s authority.

BY OBEY MANAYITI

Addressing a Press conference in Harare, where he was flanked by Mashonaland West provincial chairman Ephraim Chengeta and his deputy, Keith Guzah, Zhuwao castigated the war veterans for resorting to threats of violence.

“I want to place it on record that any issue of violence at all against a fellow member of Zanu PF is deplorable, unacceptable and that should never be a way in which anybody can try to enforce support for any measure whatsoever,” he said.

Christopher-Mutsvangwa

“Furthermore, it is highly disrespectful to even attempt to then bar members of the politburo from attending a meeting that has been called for by the President and First Secretary of the party. It is the President of the party, who is the appointing authority and, therefore, any attempt to then turn around and say that you will not allow someone to attend a meeting they have been invited to attend by the appointing authority is tantamount to usurping the powers of that same appointing authority.”

Mutsvangwa recently said, while he had issues with Higher and Tertiary Education minister Jonathan Moyo, he had a modus vivendi (an arrangement or agreement allowing conflicting parties to co-exist peacefully, either indefinitely or until a final settlement is reached) with Zhuwao and Local Government minister Saviour Kasukuwere, but Mugabe’s nephew shot back, saying he had no relationship with the War Veterans minister.

“Chris Mutsvangwa has created an erroneous impression that he has a modus vivendi with me.

“It means we have agreed to disagree, it means that I have agreed that we can continue with whatever route that he wants to continue with, therefore, I am placing it on record that I don’t agree with that.

“I wish to state that I have not agreed to disagree with Chris Mutsvangwa, especially in light of his stated cordial relations with the European Union, which has imposed sanctions on Zimbabwe and still maintains them,” Zhuwao said, equating the war veterans’ leader to a herd boy, who calls for a fight, but later chickens out claiming he was a champion.

Zhuwao has been linked to the Generation 40 (G40) group, a Zanu PF faction reportedly fighting to block Vice- President Emmerson Mnangagwa from succeeding Mugabe.

Moyo, Kasukuwere and Zhuwao are said to be the brains behind G40.

Last week, war veterans threatened to bar Moyo from attending a politburo meeting and also called for his expulsion from the party, accusing him of disrespecting Mugabe.

G40 has recently come under waves of attack and besides Moyo, its other members have been silent and Zhuwao’s remarks could be an indicator the group will not give up without a fight.

Moyo has been at loggerheads with Mutsvangwa and Mugabe’s spokesman, George Charamba, after the latter gave an interview insinuating the Higher and Tertiary Education minister would soon face the axe from the party over his involvement in factionalist politics.

In a radio interview, Charamba said he was speaking on Mugabe’s behalf.

Asked if Charamba had been sent by Mugabe to rein in Moyo, Zhuwao said: “We all have an individual relationship with the President and, therefore, I cannot say that this person was given this specific task for this mandate to do the following.

“What I would want to say is that one thing I know definitely is that the President does not condone violence and I know the President does not condone violence by anybody else, let alone a member of Zanu PF.”

Zhuwao said he supported the position taken by Mashonaland West province to pass a vote of no-confidence on Mutsvangwa.