Zanu PF to use past alleged violence in Mt Darwin to prosecute Kasukuwere

Zimbabwe’s ruling Zanu PF party is determined to block the independent presidential candidature of its former MP and Minister Saviour Kasukuwere by getting him prosecuted for alleged past political violence committed in Mt Darwin while he was an MP there.

Zanu-PF secretary for information Christopher Mutsvangwa let the cat out of the bag while addressing the media at the party headquarters in the capital Harare.

While ranting about how Kasukuwere was a “phantom candidate” who must not be taken seriously, Mutsvangwa claimed the former party stalwart has disturbing and serious criminal hurdles that he should clear before he can contest in the upcoming polls.

“We have a young man who leads CCC (Citizens Coalition for Change) and knows nothing. We are trying to find him on the campaign trail but we can’t see him, he is not visible,” he said.

“That is why the detractors have resorted to creating a phantom candidate because they feel that there is a yawning gap in the ranks of the opposition, and that is none other than Saviour Kasukuwere.

“He is being touted as a candidate, we are saying until you start to put your feet on the ground and start campaigning in Zimbabwe we do not view you as a candidate.

“Appearing in the South African press and campaigning there is not appealing to the voter in Zimbabwe, there is no voting booth at SABC in South Africa,” Mutsvangwa said.

“He then sees his image in that press but he is not being present on the ground in Zimbabwe, he is absent. And you beat yourself on the chest and say “I’m campaigning and I have been given mileage”. He is wrong.

“Our President is stamping the grounds in Zimbabwe and meeting the electorate in person. You saw the crowds in the previous rallies that turned up, I do not know of any crowds that you will see turning up at SABC,” he said.

He said it was on record that Kasukuwere had some violations he committed and the law would not lie idle on the issues.

“Remember the young man Gift Tandai who was shot in 2007, whose remains were stolen and buried in Mt Darwin after an altercation between the MDC and Zanu-PF?” asked Mutsvangwa.

“Kasukuwere’s footprints seem to have been there and I am talking about the evidence of the American embassy which went public when the then ambassador Bruce Walton labeled him a thug. I am sure the Zimbabwean Intelligence services must have good records of all those things.

“This is among the many things the law enforcement and peace enabling agents of this country may have on him, so before he may even think of many things he has a lot of hurdles to clear with the laws of this country.”

Ironically Mutsvangwa himself faced accusations of committing acts of political violence in Norton.

Kasukuwere a former cabinet minister and others who were part of President Robert Mugabe’s government fled the country after the November 2017 that toppled the Zanu PF leader who had been in power for 37 years.

Although currently still in self-imposed exile in South Africa, Kasukuwere has insisted that he will come back to campaign on the ground in Zimbabwe.

According to National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi, Kasukuwere has two arrest warrants hanging over his head, over four counts of criminal abuse of office, that were issued way before he expressed his desire to run for the presidency.

“We have two warrants of arrest that have not been cancelled yet. The first warrant was issued by magistrate Mujaya on 18 January 2019 where he was facing criminal law charges under Section 174 (b) (a) of the criminal law code because he defaulted court under number CRB HarareR842/18.

“The second warrant is under 39/18, he was given his passport but failed to submit it back within the stipulated period so the police should execute these warrants they are currently in possession of and so far there are no indications that they have been cancelled,” he said.

Mutsvangwa meanwhile also laid into the main opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) led by Nelson Chamisa saying it was beset by internal divisions.

“Chamisa is in the country but fighting internal wars of his party. He is fighting his top rank, he is fighting the fielding of double candidates in his party because his selection of candidates was not open and democratic, there are a lot of disgruntled people.

“He is busy with the courts trying to sort all that mess and at the same time he wants to be busy with the electorate. Where is his vote, with the judges or the electorate? He is just too occupied and that leaves the only party, Zanu PF that is campaigning smoothly.”