By Marcus Tawona
Zanu PF’s focus has shifted to former Vice President Joice Mujuru and her supporters after axed national secretary for administration, Didymus Mutasa, recently accused President Robert Mugabe and his wife Grace of destroying the party.
Addressing a Provincial Coordinating Committee (PCC) in Mutare last week, former Women`s League boss Oppah Muchinguri lashed out Mutasa saying Zanu (PF) had taken too long to fire him from the party.
Muchinguri, who is also the secretary for Transport and Social Welfare, said Mutasa should be stripped of his Member of Parliament status because he was using it to intimidate party supporters in his Headlands constituency.
“Supporters aligned to Mutasa are intimidating villagers to support their leader. The party should just fire him,” she said, adding that although the party acknowledged the role Mutasa played during the liberation struggle they no longer accord him the respect he deserved because of his involvement in plot to assassinate President Robert Mugabe before the 6th congress.
Mujuru supporters described the congress as a sham. Inside sources said there was resistance to the new set up among the party structures, especially in the districts where the Mujuru faction still commands a lot of grassroots support.
Muchinguri accused deposed party leaders aligned to Mujuru like former Energy and Power Development deputy Munacho Mutezo, Chipinge South legislator Enock Porusingazi and incumbent Information deputy minister Win Mlambo for spreading confusion among supporters in the districts.
Mlambo, who also attended the meeting, left with his tail between his legs after he was openly mocked by Muchinguri.
The new minister of State for Provincial Affairs in Manicaland, Mandi Chimene, also attacked Mutasa when addressing heads of security services recently. She said he did not contribute much during the liberation struggle as he was pursuing his studies. The Zimbabwean
