‘Mliswa a political prostitute’
By Farayi Machamire
Zanu PF political commissar, Saviour Kasukuwere, has slammed Norton Parliamentary by-election candidate, Temba Mliswa, labelling him a “political prostitute”.
The combative Kasukuwere, who was addressing his party’s rally in Norton on Wednesday, said Mliswa — a former Zanu PF Hurungwe West legislator and staunch President Robert Mugabe supporter — was “driven by ulterior motives and will skip onto another gravy train after he is defeated”.
Mliswa is contesting the Norton by-election — set for October 22, as an independent candidate, with the backing of some war veterans, after he was expelled from the ruling party.
“Temba, who are you standing for? Independent of whom? Mufambi ndoga (loner),” Kasukuwere questioned as he addressed supporters backing Zanu PF’s candidate for the by-election, Ronald Chindedza.
“Those who want to go to the president must go through his son (Chindedza). What about you, a one man band, what is your story?” he bellowed.
The Local Government minister said Norton should not be used as a litmus test by opposition parties who say they want to use the by-election to send a strong message to Mugabe that his time is up.
“We don’t want Norton to be used. You are not going to be a test case that this is what will happen in the 2018 elections. Refuse that,” Kasukuwere said.
The Zanu PF politburo member said Mliswa was not loyal.
“Today, you are in Hurungwe, tomorrow you hear there is something in Norton you are there, the next day in (Mt) Darwin you will be there, in Gweru you are there. Is that a party? He doesn’t want to serve Norton but he has his own ulterior motives which you will see in the fullness of time,” he said.
“He (Mliswa) has just received $150 000 from another country to come and sway the people of Norton. It’s not a small game anymore. He is being funded by the British, by Germans. What is their interest?
“You don’t need this. You need development. You need Norton to go forward.”
Kasukuwere’s remarks come as the ruling Zanu PF has gone into overdrive ahead of the by-election, whose outcome observers believe could be an omen of what lies ahead in the 2018 national polls.
He called on church leaders to vote for Chindedza, insisting he is the only one who could be heard by Mugabe.
Apart from Mliswa, Chindedza will lock horns with David Choga of the National Constitutional Assembly.
Kasukuwere’s attack on Mliswa comes as the party is desperate to hold on to the Norton parliamentary seat that fell vacant following the expulsion of war veterans leader, Christopher Mutsvangwa, for allegedly undermining Mugabe’s authority. Daily News
