Moyo misses out as Chinamasa demoted

HARARE – Zanu PF president and First Secretary Robert Mugabe yesterday announced a new Zanu-PF Politburo that contains a few surprises and while he retained the same old mediocrity, Jonathan Moyo has missed out amid reports of failure to shake off the Tsholotsho II claims.

Moyo and senior ZANU PF officials are alleged to have organised two secret meetings in Gweru and Kariba in support of Emmerson Mnangagwa’s succession plots reminiscent of the infamous 2004 Tsholotsho incident.

The unemployed professor has also failed to clear his name over allegations that he is running a secret strategic base in South Africa which is coordinating strategic programmes outlined in a secret 200 page document he authored as special advisor to Mnangagwa’s ambitious project to lead a splinter group from Zanu PF.

The heavily guarded South African base, which is a two story house in the leafy suburban area of Cape Town, has also been turned into a sales offices for Chiadzwa diamonds, used by Mbada, a controversial blood diamonds marketing company set up by government loyalists of the Mnangagwa faction.

Mbada is coordinating activities through two South African registered companies whose directors include top influential South African politicians.

Sources said diamond merchants mostly from the Middle East, China and Eastern Europe are flocking to the secret base which is manned by a bunch of Lebanese nationals.

Justice Minister Patrick Chinamsa has been demoted from Secretary to Deputy Secretary for Legal Affairs, and his position has been taken over by Defence Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Opening an extraordinary session of the Central Committee at Zanu-PF Headquarters in Harare yesterday, Robert Mugabe took a swipe at at his party faithfull whom he accused of fighting each other and in his address Mugabe for the first time gave a hint that a major breakaway movement was brewing.

In the appointments Mugabe rewarded a group of hangers-on perceived not to be aligned to the bitter rival factions of Defence Minister Emmerson Mnagagwa and the Vice President Joyce Mujuru.

He sorrounded himself with loyalists mainly from Mashonaland Central and Mashonaland West and again, failed to deal with the feisty internal strive over his succession.

Former committee member Webster Shamu is now secretary for the commissariat.

 

Shamu is one of those soft touch loyalists hence he was rewarded with the hot seat which Emmerson “Ngwena”Mnangagwa had campained for Professor Jonathan Moyo, his chief strategist. In the last few years, two people who occupied that position, Boder Gezi and Elliot Manyika died in suspicious car accidents.

It is therefore, only a matter of time before Webster Shamu makes his way to the Heroes Acre where Robert Mugabe will tell whoever cares to listen that he died for the country.

The former Rhodesian Broadcasting Corporation radio personality Webster Shamu, a corrupt, multiple farm owner and passive political upstart is now tasked with mobilising and reinvigorating party structures.

Shamu will be deputised by former deputy party spokesperson Ephraim Masawi. Another rabid political baron from Mashonaland Central who is struggling to make an impression beyond Zanu PF’s Jongwe printers where he has worked for many years syphoning government funds masquerading as Zimbabwe government printers.

Former deputy secretary for administration Rugare Gumbo takes over the information and publicity department from Nathan Shamuyarira and he will be deputised by Cain Mathema.

Rugabe Gumbo is not knew to this position. In 1976 he was secretary for information and publicity when Hebert Chitepo was assasinated.

The Report of the Special International Commission on the Assassination of Herbert Wiltshire Chitepo, which was commissioned by former Zambian president, Kenneth Kaunda, in Lusaka, 1976, cited the late Zanla commander, Josiah Tongogara; Rugare Gumbo, Henry Hamadziripi, secretary for finance; Kumbirai Kangai, secretary for public and social welfare; and Mukudzei Mudzi, secretary for administration as the people responsible for assassinating the Dare chairman, Chitepo.

In the 1970s, Rugare Gumbo, Dzinashe Machingura, (aka Wilfred Mhanda), Kumbirai Kangai and were arrested when they were accused of plotting a palace coup during the liberation struggle

The bed ridden long standing party Spokesman Nathan Shamuyarira is said to be frail due to ill health and so he has been sidelined into semi-retirement; supposedly writing Robert Mugabe’s memoirs.

However his poor health has not stopped him from invading Commercial farms in and around Mashonaland Central.

He has been demoted to a mere committee member.

Dzikamai “Mugabe Must Go” Mavhaire rose to take over the department of production and labour, while Obert “Chiadzwa” Mpofu and David Parirenyatwa were appointed to head the economic affairs and health and child welfare departments, respectively.

Oil mogul, former bodyguard and CMED driver, man of the moment Saviour “Tyson” Kasukuwere takes over the indigenisation and economic empowerment portfolio that was left vacant following national hero Vitalis Zvinavashe’s death last year. Kasukuwere is leading the new arena for looting and pilaging in the name of indigenisation and economic empowerment

Abigail Damasane heads the gender and culture department.

Sithembiso Nyoni and Francis Nhema have been appointed to the new portfolios of business development and liaison, and environment and tourism respectively.

Members who retained their positions are Didymus Mutasa (administration), David Karimanzira (finance), Emmerson Mnangagwa (legal affairs), Oppah Muchinguri (women’s affairs), Absolom Sikhosana (youth affairs), Ignatius Chombo (land reform and resettlement), Stanley Sakupwanya (welfare of the disabled and disadvantaged persons) and Olivia Muchena (science and technology).

Some Politburo members that have moved portfolios are Sydney Sekeramayi (national security); Stan Mudenge (external relations) and Nicholas Goche (transport and welfare).

New and returning Politburo members include Edson Ncube (deputy secretary for administration), Charles Tawengwa (deputy, finance); Abednico Ncube (deputy, external relations); Samuel Mugande (deputy, transport and welfare); Patrick Chinamasa (deputy, legal affairs); Richard Ndlovu (deputy, production and labour), Eunice Sandi-Moyo (deputy, women’s affairs); Eddison Chakanyuka (deputy, youth affairs) and Lazarus Dokora (deputy, education).

Kudakwashe Bhasikiti (deputy, economic affairs); Douglas Mombeshora (deputy, health and child welfare), Tendai Savanhu (deputy, indigenisation and economic empowerment); S. Mukusha (deputy, gender and culture); Herbert Murerwa (deputy, land and resettlement), Joshua Malinga (deputy, disabled and disadvantaged persons), Patrick Zhuwao (deputy, science and technology), James Gumpo (deputy, business development and liaison) and Nelson Mawema (deputy, environment and tourism).

Committee members include Solomon Mujuru, Tsitsi Muzenda, Victoria Chitepo, Kumbirai Kangai, A. Chimbudzi, Nathan Shamuyarira, Naison Ndlovu, Thokozile Mathuthu, Angeline Masuku, Khantibai Patel, Tshinga Dube, Munacho Mutezo, Cephas Msipa, Josiah Hungwe, Jacob Mudenda, Flora Bhuka, Cliveria Chizema, Edna Madzongwe and O. Maluleke. Zimbabwe Mail