Kasukuwere, Mutodi in ‘tribal’ clash

By Gift Phiri

HARARE – Zanu PF national political commissar Savior Kasukuwere has reportedly stirred a tribal storm after banishing flamboyant businessman Energy Mutodi from taking his elected provincial member seat in the Mashonaland East provincial executive without adequate explanation.

Mutodi, closely identified with a faction led by Emmerson Mnangagwa, claims he was barred from taking the elected seat without providing a convincing reason for doing so.

Authoritative sources said Kasukuwere reportedly told a recent provincial executive committee at the Marondera Zanu PF headquarters that Mutodi could not represent Goromonzi West, because he is from Masvingo.

Sources claimed deputy minister for Agriculture and Goromonzi North Zanu PF MP Paddy Zhanda, who is Kasukuwere’s close friend, Biata Nyamupinga, the Goromonzi West Zanu PF MP, and Goromonzi South Zanu PF MP Petronella Kagonye, all allegedly mobilised against Mutodi’s entry into the provincial executive.

Mutodi, who won a mandate to represent Goromonzi West in the Mashonaland East Zanu PF Provincial Executive on July 8, declined to comment on the matter.

Kasukuwere is reported to have apparently used the tribal card and later justified his decision by saying the Chigorodanda singer was barred from taking his seat in the provincial executive because of his controversial Facebook posts.

Mutodi’s posts persistently slam Higher Education Minister Jonathan Moyo and Kasukuwere himself, who the musician accuses of being members of the controversial Generation 40.

Kasukuwere reportedly claimed he wanted to seek clearance from the politburo first, before he could clear Mutodi to be admitted into Mash East executive.

Promising to take Kasukuwere head-on, key members of the Mnangagwa faction told the Daily News on Sunday last week that Kasukuwere “engaged in ethnic, national origin or religious discrimination” in barring Mutodi.

Kasukuwere, who reportedly directed Zanu PF provincial chairman Joel Biggie Matiza to ensure Mutodi was barred from all activities in the province, on Friday said he could not comment on the storm.

“Iwe unonyora zvaunoda mubepa ka iwe (You write what you want in the newspaper, isn’t it)?” he said, before hanging up the phone.

Matiza, who has been sent an appeal letter by Mutodi, referred all questions to Kasukuwere.

“Get more information from the national PC (political commissar),” Matiza told the Daily News on Sunday. “It was done before we were constituted as a province. We have referred the matter to him.”

Over the past decade, members of the Karanga clique have complained about being discriminated from top posts. Daily News