PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe yesterday savaged Local Government minister Saviour Kasukuwere (pictured) for allegedly parcelling out State land earmarked for youths to individuals such as Prophetic Healing and Deliverance Ministries (PHD) founder, Walter Magaya among others.
BY XOLISANI NCUBE
Mugabe, while greeting members of the Zanu PF politburo before their meeting, confronted Kasukuwere about the alleged parcelling out of land to Magaya and several ruling party youths loyal to him.
Kasukuwere tried to draw closer to Mugabe, who appeared agitated and kept on interrogating him.
“How are you handling the youths issue? I hear you sold the land to Magaya?” Mugabe asked a visibly shocked Kasukuwere.
The Zanu PF national commissar tried to distance himself from the deal.
“I am the minister responsible. They (media) had nothing to write,” Kasukuwere said.
But Mugabe was not convinced and further interrogated a shaken Kasukuwere.
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“No! No! No! You sold the land. I still believe you sold the land,” the 92-year-old leader said, as he walked away, leaving Kasukuwere still in disbelief.
Zanu PF, through Kasukuwere and the youth league, has launched a programme meant to dish out land to ruling party youths.
But it has emerged that Kasukuwere and several party officials aligned to him were allegedly selling the stands and lining their pockets, raising Mugabe’s ire.
Among those suspected to have benefited from the alleged scam are Magaya, Harare South MP, Shadreck Mashayamombe, Kuwadzana MP, Betty Kaseke and Kasukuwere’s younger brother, Tongai among several others.
Kasukuwere is reportedly a key member of the G40 faction in Zanu PF fighting to stop Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa from succeeding Mugabe.
Zanu PF has been dishing out land to youths in urban areas ahead of the 2018 elections.
Most of the people benefitting from the stands were reportedly aligned to the G40 faction.
Meanwhile, Zanu PF secretary for administration, Ignatius Chombo said Mugabe, had urged party members to be vigilant and counter anti-government protests organised by opposition parties.
“In his opening remarks, the President spoke about the demonstrations being spearheaded by the opposition. He said the party should formulate strategies to counter the opposition. He said the opposition is doing this in belief that they can force Zanu PF into a government of national unity. They will be no government of national unity when Zanu PF was voted overwhelmingly and has the mandate,” he said.
