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Cletus Mushanawani, Mutare Bureau
MANICALAND is prepared to welcome back former Zanu-PF national secretary for administration Mr Didymus Mutasa on condition he is prepared to start as an ordinary card carrying member and give respect to the current leadership.

The province said Mr Mutasa, a one time self-proclaimed provincial godfather, should not give conditions for his readmission into the party.

Politburo members and the provincial party leadership said they stand guided by what the party’s Presidium would have said regarding the readmission of Mr Mutasa.

Zanu-PF Secretary for Economic Affairs who is also Information, Media and Broadcasting Services Minister, Dr Chris Mushohwe, described Mr Mutasa as a prodigal son who should swallow his pride and retrace his roots.

“President Mugabe has never had hard feelings for Mr Mutasa. When he left the party we did not know what spirit had engulfed him. His actions were more like running away from heaven to hell.

“The Biblical prodigal son was polite enough when he went back to his father’s house. He asked to be treated like one of his father’s servants and the same should apply to our former leader in Manicaland.

“President Mugabe has a very large and fatherly heart and if Mr Mutasa apologises, I am sure he will be welcomed back into Zanu-PF. If the prodigal son was forgiven thousands of years ago, the same can also happen to Mr Mutasa.”

Zanu-PF Secretary for Legal Affairs as well as Finance Minister, Cde Patrick Chinamasa said they had no problems with Mr Mutasa’s return.

“We have no problem in welcoming Mr Mutasa if he decides to come back to Zanu-PF. When that happens, he should be prepared to start from the lowest rank.

“All he needs to do is to show sincerity and commit himself to work with all party members. He should accept President Mugabe’s leadership. He should respect all the leadership in place like what we all do. This should be the preconditions of readmission into the party.”

Cde Chinamasa said they were shocked when Mutasa left Zanu-PF.

“When he left the party as people who had worked with him for a long time we were traumatised. President Mugabe always preaches about unity and we want a more united Zanu-PF as we move towards next year’s harmonised elections.

“Mr Mutasa’s situation is a lesson to all of us that forming splinter parties will not take us anywhere.”

On Mr Mutasa’s current scenario where he is reportedly leading a life of destitution, Dr Mushohwe said: “Mr Mutasa should not be leading the kind of life we are reading about in the media. It is sad because he used to hold very senior positions both in the party and Government.”

Zanu-PF Manicaland provincial chairman, Dr Samuel Undenge, concurred with his seniors in the party.

“Our party’s constitution is very clear on the issues to do with readmission into the party. The constitution says a readmitted member should start from the lowest rank. Mr Mutasa knows the Zanu-PF constitution very well and should be prepared to abide by it.

“He should come back as an ordinary party card carrying member with no conditions,” said Dr Undenge who is also Minister of Energy and Power Development.

Zanu-PF provincial youth secretary for administration, Cde Victor Saunyama, said: “As the vanguard and foot soldiers of the party, we stand guided by what our leadership would have said. If Mr Mutasa is pardoned, who are we not to work with him?

“Emphasis is on the issue of unity. With or without Mr Mutasa as Manicaland, we should remain united and work for the good of the party.”

Mr Mutasa, however, denied reports that he wanted to rejoin Zanu-PF.

“This is all rubbish. You media people write what you want and you always misquote me. I have nowhere to go to put the record straight. I never approached Vice-President Mnangagwa, you can phone him to clarify that.

“All the papers write lies about me, save for Kwaramba. I will never go back to Zanu-PF. Why did they fire me in the first place?” Mr Mutasa charged.

He also dismissed reports that he had fallen on hard times.

“What appeared in the Press are all lies. I will comment on that matter the day after tomorrow (Thursday),” he said.