Zimpapers Logo

Harare Bureau—
PRESIDENT Mugabe yesterday slammed former Zanu-PF secretary for administration Cde Didymus Mutasa, describing him as a “stupid fool” that cannot be corrected. Addressing a bumper crowd of Zanu-PF supporters soon after arrival at the Harare International Airport from his annual leave in the Far East, President Mugabe said there was nothing that Zanu-PF could do to a “stray braying ass” like Cde Mutasa.

President Mugabe’s remarks come in the wake of an attempt by Cde Mutasa to have the courts nullify the outcome of the 6th National People’s Congress.

The Congress confirmed the dumping of Cde Mutasa and the entire cabal of former Vice President Joice Mujuru that sought to unseat and even assassinate President Mugabe.

In his foiled bid Cde Mutasa, who was part of the team that organised the Congress, wrote to South African President Jacob Zuma, Sadc and the African Union making wild claims that the Congress was held in an unconstitutional manner and was, therefore, a nullity.

“A stupid fool can’t be corrected,” President Mugabe said. “A lost donkey will bray, bray there’s nothing that we can do to a stray bray ass, it’s just braying.

“We’ve no time for individuals of little brains – disorganised mentally, deranged, if not close to being insane,” the President said to applause from the crowd.

President Mugabe, who referred to Cde Mutasa as “Gamatox”, said the former secretary for administration and Cabinet Minister, erred by exporting internal party issues to the region and the continent at large.

He said it was absurd that Cde Mutasa, who once oversaw the country’s intelligence department, did not know that foreigners did not have business in internal party issues.

“Our organisations which unite us, Sadc, Comesa and African Union are organisations not for individuals but member states,” he said.

“If Gamatox is confused and thinks Zanu-PF issues can be discussed in Sadc or elsewhere, people will ask, ‘is he mad? It’s a country which approaches these bodies with its issues not individuals. So these organisations aren’t organisations of membership of individuals. It’s a membership of countries, of nations. That’s how it is. Even the United Nations. Zanu-PF issues are dealt by Zanu-PF. If outsiders try to interfere we’ll tell them go away, who are you?”

President Mugabe said Cde Mutasa was ungrateful to the party and government, which uplifted him to the position of secretary for administration and Cabinet Minister.

He said although Cde Mutasa was part of the team that organised Congress he absented himself from the event at the last minute.

President Mugabe said Cde Mutasa later phoned claiming that he was in South Africa receiving treatment.

“We don’t know what happened to this one you call Gamatox. I look back to when we gave him a top post in the Office of the President organising the congress, then disappear on the day of Congress. We didn’t know where he had gone to.

“We just heard him saying he was ill and was now in South Africa. Is this how things are done? Is it running away? What are you running away from?

“Writing to (Jacob) Zuma, what does Zuma know about Zanu-PF?

“Has he lost his memory? I don’t understand how a man we sat with, a senior official in the Office of the President in charge of security and intelligence, does not know that party issues are party issues. If someone feels aggrieved there are procedures to follow within the party. You no longer want to follow party procedures?

“In Makoni, they voted for Central Committee members and you lost, you want the party to lose too? The statement refers to “we” who is “we”? Reveal them! It’s all lies!”

The President, however, said Zanu-PF was a big institution and could not be distracted by opportunistic individuals pursuing selfish interests.

“Anyway, let’s continue with our work. Those who lost their positions were not expelled from the party,” he said.

“So far only (Rugare) Gumbo and (Jabulani) Sibanda have been expelled. Those are the ones with names that came to the Politburo and we said they must go. If there are other recommendations, we will discuss. What I want to say is that those who were suspended are still party members let them join others. Those we no longer want in the party, we will tell you.”

Cde Mutasa was even under fire from the supporters who welcomed the President.

The supporters were waving placards denouncing the disgraced former secretary for administration.

Some of the placards were inscribed “Expel Mutasa”, “Mutasa the accuser, Mutasa the accused”, “Mutasa haana kuti tasa”, (Mutasa is not straight) “dehorn that stray buffalo”, “Zvikoni zvikoni dhiziri haribude padombo’’ and “Mutasa a hypocrite”.

The crowd was also chanting slogans denouncing Mutasa saying he distributed farms to his relatives and girlfriends.

Apart from hordes of party supporters, President Mugabe was welcomed by Vice Presidents Emmerson Mnangagwa and Phelekezela Mphoko, several Cabinet Ministers, Members of Parliament, senior Government officials and service chiefs.