Women’s league plots against Mujuru

By Jairos Saunyama

As the leadership battle within the ruling Zanu PF party threatens to boil over ahead of an elective congress in December, the former liberation movement’s women’s league is plotting an audacious vote of no-confidence in embattled Vice-President Joice Mujuru.

Hurungwe East lawmaker, Sarah Mahoka told scores of cross-border traders in Mazowe on Tuesday that the motion would be moved at a meeting scheduled for early next week.

Mahoka even assured First Lady Grace Mugabe, who was hosting the cross boarder traders at her Mazowe Children’s home, that even with the financial challenges the party was facing, the league’s members have vowed “to walk” to Harare, adding Mujuru’s removal “will be done without fail”.

Under fire Mujuru stands accused of plotting to assassinate President Robert Mugabe, extortion and corruption as well as factionalism, among a litany of misdemeanors. First Lady Grace Mugabe has been at the forefront of calls for Mujuru to step down or face being “baby-dumped” at the party’s congress in December.

“The women’s league executive members will on Tuesday (next week) remove Mujuru from the wing and as the executive we are going to do that without fail. Tiri kumuburitsa muoffice because women’s league yaramba (We are going to remove her from office because the women’s league is not supporting her).

“Amai (Grace) musanetseke henyu nenyaya dzetransport kuti iripo here kana kuti kwete, kana isipo tichafamba netsoka (Do not trouble yourself about transport logistics because we will find our own way),” said Mahoka.

Mahoka rocked the show with her two hard-hitting slogan chants like, Pasi na Dr 10% (Down with Dr 10% in reference to Mujuru’s reported 10% extortions from companies across the country) and Pasi na Mujuru Nembwa Dzake (Down with Mujuru  and her dogs, in reference to the VPs loyalists who are also accused of rallying her).

The move by the women’s league will therefore be the first direct action against Mujuru following a series of demonstrations and no confidence votes on perceived Mujuru loyalists. The moves have resulted in the expulsion of war now former war veterans’ leader Jabulani Sibanda from the party and the suspension of spokesperson Rugare Gumbo for five years.

On Monday, a group of students from the country’s tertiary institutions told the First Lady to cause Mujuru’s expulsion threatening to “take action”.

Mujuru in a statement early this week denied all charges and vowed to stay put arguing “I will not be forced out through unconstitutional means”.

War veterans and youths have been on the forefront holding demonstrations on pro-Mujuru loyalists with provincial executive members passing a vote-of-no confidence.

Nine of the provincial chairpersons all believed to be Mujuru loyalists were shown the exit door.

Meanwhile Mujuru’s fate is set to be deliberated on at a make-or-break politburo meeting scheduled for Saturday whose agenda according to insiders “is to discuss issues on the state of the party as well as the forth coming congress to be held early next month among other issues”.

Today the national disciplinary committee is reportedly scheduled to meet to deliberate on reports of the various votes of no confidence passed on the party’s provincial chairpersons. The Zimbabwe Mail