By Elizabeth Mashiri | Masvingo Mirror |
GWERU – Many Zanu PF cadres who were kicked out of the party recently have died of stress while most of those who live are surviving on tablets that control various stress-induced ailments including high blood pressure, former Vice President Joice Mujuru has said.
Speaking at a rally held in Gweru where she shared the podium with Morgan Tsvangirai at the weekend, Mujuru who is now ZimPF leader said there is deep betrayal and ruthless purging in Zanu PF that left cadres frustrated and stressed.
She said there were many leaders, some national, some provincial and at other levels who have died because of high blood pressure.
“This is the history we are writing today but let me tell you this; there were many of us in People First but some are no longer with us because they passed away.
“We had provincial leaders who were expelled from the party, they got sick because of the way they were treated and they died.
“If those who are alive begin to tell you about our lives, they will tell you that we are living on drugs because of high blood pressure and stress caused by the treatment we got from Zanu PF and its leader,” said Mujuru.
She said that it was not correct for people to be on each other’s neck all the time. He said leaders must work together for the good of the people and added that it was for that reason that she and Tsvangirai had joined hands and were holding a joint rally.
Mujuru was ruthlessly dismissed as Zanu PF vice president two years ago and she was dismissed along side many other party gurus, including long time Mugabe ally, Didymus Mutasa, the party’s spokesperson, Rugare Gumbo and political commissar, Webster Shamu.
She said many expelled Zanu PF leaders were just living in flesh as their spirits are dead.
Mujuru said it was not right therefore for Masvingo Provincial excutive to fire Retired Colonel Claudius Makova as its chairman. Makove was recently fired and replaced by Dr William Zivenge who is a lecturer at Great Zimbabwe University.
Mujuru apologised for taking time to open her eyes to alleged evils in her former political party.
“One of the crimes that I was said to have committed when I was in Zanu PF was failing to condemn Tsvangirai and say the slogan ‘Pasi naTsvangirai’. People First and MDC can be compared to puppies of a dog which do not open their eyes and see on the same day.
“Tsvangirai was the first to see what I didn’t see then and now l have opened my eyes and I also see,” said Mujuru.
Mujuru said she always questioned her party colleagues on why they made personal attacks on Tsvangirai and she was never liked for that.
“I used to ask them why they made these slogans saying down with Tsvangirai, l saw no sense in it because after saying that they will form a Government of National Unity and eat from the same plate with him. So what is the purpose? I don’t do that l am a Christian, I am not a hypocrite,” said Mujuru.
