Mutodi faces the chop

By Tendai Kamhungira

The Zanu PF Mashonaland East provincial executive has summoned Energy Mutodi — an avowed Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa ally — to appear before a disciplinary committee.

The musician-cum-politician faces a slew of charges, including undermining congress resolutions.

He stands accused of going against the party’s December 2016 Masvingo annual congress resolution to declare President Robert Mugabe Zanu PF’s 2018 election presidential candidate.

Over the past weeks, Mutodi has been very vocal on the need for the party to hold an extraordinary congress to replace soon-to-be 93 years old Mugabe ahead of the polls.

Zanu PF’s Mashonaland East province acting secretary for administration, David Musabayana, has since written to Mutodi ordering him to appear before a disciplinary committee on March 3, 2017.

According to the February 4, 2017 letter, Mutodi is accused of disloyalty, failure to strengthen, promote and defend the party as well as bringing it into disrepute.

“The hearing is to consider and discuss disciplinary allegations of misconduct charges that follow: undermining the authority and powers of the National People’s Conference to declare the president of the party elected at the Congress as the State presidential candidate of the party as outlined in the Zanu PF Constitution of 2014, Article 6 on membership section 33 (3),” the letter read.

“If you are found guilty of the allegations . . . then we may recommend disciplinary sanctions up to and including suspension and cancellation of your Zanu PF membership,” Musabayana said.

Mutodi was also barred from carrying out any activities for and on behalf of the party, until finalisation of his disciplinary case.

“You are also prohibited immediately from holding any party post or engage in party meetings pending the outcome of your disciplinary hearing pencilled for the 3rd of March 2017,” he said.

“Your failure to respect the prohibition order or attempts to disregard the same may be deemed to be an act of insubordination and the relevant sections of the 2014 Zanu PF constitution will be invoked,” Musabayana said.

Contacted for comment on the current political developments pertaining to the disciplinary hearing, Mutodi refused to comment, saying the matter was still before a disciplinary panel and was therefore sub judice.

Zanu PF is currently embroiled in serious factional fights pitting Generation 40 (G40) and Team Lacoste.

Mutodi, together with some war veterans, are largely seen as Team Lacoste members and have been calling for Mugabe to step down  to make way for Mnangagwa while those in the rival G40 camp are fighting tooth and nail to block the Midlands godfather’s ascendancy.

Following these calls, Zanu PF youth leader Kudzanai Chipanga described all those calling for Mugabe to step down as day-dreamers, declaring Zanu PF youths’ intention to even take up arms to defend the nonagenarian leader who turns 93 this month.

A top Zanu PF official who spoke on condition of anonymity said it was highly likely that Mutodi would be expelled and the hearing was just a mere formality.

“The decision has already been made. The issue is to silence all the voices asking for the retirement of Mugabe. It’s very unfortunate that the party has failed to accommodate the young who, for obvious reasons, see themselves disadvantaged by the nonagenarian’s destructive policies,” the official said, adding that the G40 was aimed at eliminating all Mnangagwa’s perceived sympathisers from the party. Daily News