Zimpapers Logo

Felex Share, Harare Bureau
Zanu-PF holds its 105th Central Committee meeting in Harare today, amid indications that the resolution by Mashonaland Central province to expel national political commissar Cde Saviour Kasukuwere and acting chairperson Cde Dickson Mafios will dominate proceedings.

The Central Committee is Zanu-PF’s highest decision making body in between congresses.

Zanu-PF secretary for administration, Cde Ignatius Chombo, yesterday confirmed the meeting saying pertinent issues affecting the party and people’s livelihoods would be discussed. “It’s on tomorrow (today) and we have done our preparations,” he said. “Our members, who are coming from various provinces, will come today (yesterday) and sleep over in the capital.

“Among other things, we will discuss critical issues affecting the party and the state of agriculture in the country.”

Mashonaland Central provincial secretary for administration Cde George Makunde submitted the report nailing Cdes Kasukuwere and Mafios to Cde Chombo yesterday.

Cde Makunde confirmed: “I have submitted the report to the secretary for administration (Cde Chombo) today (yesterday) and we wait to see the next move.”

Mashonaland Central province wants Cdes Kasukuwere and Mafios sacked on allegations of planning to topple President Mugabe through capturing party structures.

The pair also stands accused of corruption and fanning factionalism.

The decision to expel the two half brothers has been endorsed by the Mashonaland Central provincial executive council and the provincial coordinating committee.

The two are said to have spent the better part of yesterday trying to bung some Central Committee members from Mashonaland Central to support them in today’s meeting.

They reportedly offered to pay for the accommodation of some Central Committee members, a preserve of the party.

While Cde Kasukuwere’s phone went unanswered, Cde Mafios responded: “In what capacity are you asking me that question? I do not even know about that. The Central Committee has been invited by the party.”

Cde Kasukuwere and Mafios were yesterday using the latter’s secretary Ms Rutendo Nyamangara to contact the Central Committee members on phone number 0785489113.

Contacted on that number, Ms Nyamangara said: “I have no response.  I am in a meeting.  Hold on for . . .,” she said before switching off her phone.
Cde Kasukuwere yesterday reportedly went further and threatened Mashonaland Central deputy chairperson Cde Kazembe Kazembe over the phone.

Confirmed Cde Kazembe: “I was simply doing my duties as required by the party. At least, everyone saw what was happening.”

As vice chairperson, Cde Kazembe received the petition from demonstrators who were protesting against Cdes Kasukuwere and Mafios on Monday for onward submission to the party leadership.

Zanu-PF insiders yesterday said the Central Committee could not afford to ignore the grievances from the people of Mashonaland Central. “Now that the resolutions have been submitted, we wait to see the next course of action,” said a source. “For the good of the party, the party’s leadership will never listen to him (Cde Kasukuwere) alone and ignore the real grievances which are threatening our party’s victory ahead of 2018 general elections.”

The developments come as Zanu-PF Politburo members yesterday revealed that Cde Kasukuwere received a stern warning over his nefarious plot from President Mugabe during a Politburo meeting on Wednesday.

The sources said President Mugabe told the national commissar that he was aware of the plot which he was executing through the abuse of First Lady and Women’s Affairs secretary Dr Grace Mugabe’s name.

In the end, the source said, Cde Kasukuwere’s commissariat report was dominated by apologies to the party leadership.

“The President told him point blank that he was aware of his wiles, guiles and abuse of the First Lady’s name in their plot,” said the source.

“The President said he was aware that he, together with his cabal, were accusing others of being successionists when in actual fact he was the one harbouring presidential ambitions.

“He (Cde Kasukuwere) ended up begging at every pause, saying ‘Baba (President Mugabe) forgive me.  I am your son’. I have never seen him being so apologetic.”

Another Politburo member said Cde Kasukuwere’s issue was not on the agenda, but he brought it up himself when he was presenting the commissariat report.

“The report from Mashonaland Central was not yet in and the Politburo could not judge him using media reports,” said the Politburo member. “He began his commissariat report by talking about the ongoing restructuring exercise in various provinces, before talking about demonstrations against him and Cde Mafios that took place in Mashonaland Central and Midlands.

“The commissar tried to seek sympathy by claiming that other Politburo members, whose names he read out, were also being targeted by the demonstrations. He based his claims on a fake list which circulated on the social media this week.”

The Politburo member went on: “He then stated that Masvingo had held demonstrations on Tuesday, defying President Mugabe’s call to use proper party procedures.

“That is when Cde Shuvai Mahofa (Women’s League secretary for security) told the President that the commissar was lying as no demonstration took place in Masvingo. She acknowledged a demonstration was on the cards, but was shelved after President Mugabe read the riot act on Monday.

“Cde Mahofa indicated that she was not even in Masvingo, but in Harare on that particular day and further revealed that in fact, it was the commissar who had come into the province and held suspicious meetings at Flamboyant Hotel with his sidekicks, Cdes Jappy Jaboon and Daniel Shumba.”

On the Politburo meeting, Zanu-PF spokesperson Cde Simon Khaya Moyo yesterday said: “There wasn’t much. The President emphasised the need to follow party procedure and this is the message we are sending to all party cadres.”