By Kenneth Matimaire
MUTARE — When the dust seemed to have settled on Munacho Mutezo following his three-year suspension from ZANU-PF, there is renewed pressure to have the Chimanimani West Member of Parliament recalled from the National Assembly in what could precipitate another by-election.
The Financial Gazette can exclusively reveal that ZANU-PF supporters in his constituency have submitted a petition to the party’s provincial leadership in Manicaland seeking to have him stripped of the MP status.
The petition has since been forwarded to the Politburo, which is ZANU-PF’s supreme decision-making body in between congresses.
Party supporters in Chimanimani are convinced that Mutezo escaped with a slap on the wrist for working with former vice president Joice Mujuru, accused of conspiring with a group that sought to overthrow President Robert Mugabe.
In their view, he should instead be recalled from Parliament.
When the Politburo met recently to deliberate various cases that had been brought before it, Mutezo was suspended for three-years.
The Politburo now has to reconsider Mutezo’s case after the party’s provincial executive in Manicaland submitted the petition for consideration.
Samuel Undenge, the interim provincial chair for Manicaland, confirmed receiving the petition, which is now before the Politburo.
“It is true that people from Chimanimani West no longer want Munacho Mutezo. A petition was sent to that effect due to his involvement in a plot to remove President Mugabe. As the provincial executive, we sent the petition to the Politburo to decide on his fate and we are yet to get a response,” he said.
“However, I would like to make a few corrections that Mutezo cannot simply be replaced by someone, in the event that he is recalled from Parliament, as we have a procedure that should be followed. The seat is supposed to be declared vacant first and, as a party, we hold primary elections to find a candidate that will represent us in by-elections”.
The Financial Gazette is reliably informed that a clique within the ruling party in Manicaland wants Mutezo replaced by Letina Undenge — wife to the provincial chair.
There are currently spirited attempts to discredit and smear Mutezo.
He was recently chucked out of a State tour led by Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko in Chimanimani by tough-talking Provincial Affairs Minister, Mandi Chimene.
Prior to that, Mutezo was also dressed down in his own constituency on Independence Day by party youths.
A source privy to the machination said party youths in the province were playing a central role in attempts to kick Mutezo out.
Contacted for comment, Mutezo was tight-lipped over the matter.
“I have no comment on such issues, I can’t comment,” said Mutezo.
Party insiders said indeed the clock was ticking for Mutezo.
“Mutezo’s days are numbered. He might have managed to survive expulsion through suspension but I can assure you that he will lose his seat. The groundwork has already been done, what remains is just the push,” said the source.
Mutezo first attempted to become an MP way back in the 90s with little success.
During his first attempt he lost in the ZANU-PF primary elections in Chimanimani constituency to Roy Bennett who was later blocked from representing the party on racial grounds.
During the build up to the formation of the Movement for Democratic Change in 1999, Bennett then jumped ship and joined Morgan Tsvangirai’s party. He successfully stood against his former party rival — Mutezo, in the 2000 election and won.
Towards the 2005 elections Chimanimani was demarcated into two constituencies – East and West – which saw Mutezo representing ZANU-PF in Chimanimani West.
Mutezo was later elevated into the party’s Politburo and given a ministerial post.
Mutezo, however, lost in the 2008 election only to bounce back during the 2013 general elections.
A purge targeting Mujuru and her backers saw Mutezo joining the long-list of ZANU-PF cadres who were either suspended or condemned to the political dustbin for their role in propping up President Mugabe’s former second in command. The Financial Gazette
