Chingosho challenges Mutasa in Headlands

By Staff Reporter

MUTARE- Embattled Zanu PF national secretary for administration Didymus Mutasa was left sweating after civil servant Chris Chingosho challenged him to represent the party in Headlands Constituency – thereby setting the stage for a brutal campaign given the former’s penchant for violence against rivals.

Zanu-PF held its inter-district meetings in Manicaland on Saturday that left Mutasa, who has made clear his intentions to land the vice-presidency, facing a threat to his ascendency as Chingosho’s entry could possibly turn the tables against him.

For decades Mutasa, who has been taunted as the godfather of Manicaland has never been challenged and his word was unquestioned. Anyone in the province who wanted to ascend to power had to get his blessings ever since his predecessor Maurice Nyagumbo died in 1989.

Mutasa’s challenge by Chingosho has added an interesting political twist and simultaneously opened the floodgates for other Zanu PF bigwigs in Manicaland to be challenged by mostly young Turks.

The entry of Chingosho has left Mutasa, exposed, weakened, vulnerable and staring defeat in the face.

“He was shocked by Chingosho’s challenge. He feels insulted and diminished. We are talking of a man who has never been challenged before, and was never anticipating it. All eyes are on Mutasa, we want to see how he manipulates this time,” said an insider, adding that Chingosho has made up his mind and will go all the way taking Mutasa head-on.

“His entry will definitely give the old man sleepless nights. Chingosho is a serious contender. He commands a good following and anything can happen in a free and fair.

“Mutasa will definitely resort to violence to put out his rival. It means the re-activation of his terror squad known as the A-Team,” added the source.

Chingosho is the director in the Ministry of Women Affairs. He recently clashed with his boss Olivia Muchena after being told to back off Mutasa’s tail.

Muchena and Mutasa both belong to the Mujuru faction.

Mutasa in 2006 attacked an aspiring Zanu PF candidate James Kaunye, who wanted to wrestle the Makoni North seat from him.

Mutasa, was in the same year involved in a scuffle in parliament with opposition MP Roy Bennett. Mutasa questioned Kaunye’s membership to the party.

Kaunye’s relatives alleged Mutasa’s supporters visited the victim at the farm where Kaunye and his wife were assaulted for trying to stand in Makoni North.

Kaunye was left unconscious and naked after the attack. He sustained serious injuries to the head and a suspected broken rib and was later resuscitated at Rusape General Hospital.

Chingosho has the full backing of Zanu PF women’s league boss Oppah Muchinguri and Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa, who don’t see eye to eye with Mutasa.

Chinamasa and Muchinguri recently petition to President Robert Mugabe, to reign in Mutasa, accusing him of dictatorship, imposition of candidates and fanning divisions in Manicaland.

They warned that if Mutasa’s actions went unchecked the party would lose again in the forthcoming elections, as it did in the 2008 polls.

Mutasa has declared war on Chinamasa by pulling his confidante Basil Nyabadza from political oblivion and planted him to fight against Chinamasa in Makoni Central.

Mutasa is believed to be aligned to Vice-President Joice Mujuru’s faction and has been pushing for the removal of former Zanu PF Manicaland chairperson Mike Madiro, who is said to be in Mnangagwa’s camp, has vowed to finish off Madiro’s political career.

Madiro has tendered his CV to stand as a Zanu PF candidate in the orphaned Mutare North constituency.

This enraged Mutasa.

“As a party we should not vouch for corrupt people. We should not elect those people we know are corrupt. If the people of Manicaland settle for corrupt leaders, the I won’t be part of it. I will say No to corrupt people like Madiro. Madiro cannt fit the bill because he is corrupt,” said Mutasa.

Mutasa accuses Madiro and other senior Zanu PF officials from Manicaland, of decampaigning him and throwing spanners in his bid to the vice presidency.