Mashonaland East joins Kasukuwere ouster call

MASHONALAND East yesterday became the seventh Zanu-PF province to call for the expulsion of Cde Saviour Kasukuwere as the revolutionary party’s national political commissar on a litany of charges that include plotting to topple President Mugabe and fanning factionalism.

The Mashonaland East Provincial Executive Council (PEC) met in Marondera yesterday and overwhelmingly endorsed Cde Kasukuwere’s ouster and the Provincial Coordinating Committee (PCC) is expected to ratify the decision tomorrow.

Only three provinces (Manicaland, Matabeleland North and Matabelaland South) are yet to pronounce their positions.

Speaking to the media after the PEC meeting yesterday, Zanu-PF Central Committee member and Minister of State for Mashonaland East Retired Brigadier-General Ambrose Mutinhiri said: “Zanu-PF as a party is bigger than individuals.”

Provincial spokesperson Cde Kenneth Mutiwekuziva said: “Factionalism, parallel structures and corruption had also spread in this province. So as the highest decision making organ in the province, we are saying Cde Kasukuwere should be removed from the position of national political commissar of Zanu-PF.”

In Mashonaland West, the Provincial Coordinating Committee yesterday ratified the PEC decision reached last week to have Cde Kasukuwere fired ahead of next year’s elections.

The province also questioned whether Cde Kasukuwere has a party membership card, indicating his lack of willingness to build the party.

Further, Cde Kasukuwere was accused of lacking orientation and had done nothing to build the party which is preparing for the crunch elections next year.

In an address to the Mashonaland West PCC meeting, Central Committee member Dr Philip Chiyangwa said Cde Kasukuwere had failed and it was in the interest of the party that he be relieved of his duties.

This was after all the 50 members of the PCC appended their signatures to a petition calling for Cde Kasukuwere’s ouster.

“We would like to thank the decision made by the PCC to endorse the decision of the provincial executive council so that Government and the party know that we no longer want to have anything to do with Cde Kasukuwere,” said Dr Chiyangwa.

“As a province, we have done well to unite with other provinces to say that as a party we are headed for elections and if someone has failed dismally like what (Cde) Kasukuwere has done, they should move out of the way.”

The provincial secretary for administration Cde Simba Ziyambi was tasked to write a letter stating the province’s position that was to be taken to the national headquarters yesterday.

This brings to seven the number of provinces to call for Cde Kasukuwere’s ouster, citing corruption in the handling of urban land and complicity in the usurping of First Lady Dr Grace Mugabe’s powers in the Women’s League by former treasurer Cde Sarah Mahoka and deputy secretary Cde Eunice Sandi Moyo.

He also faces allegations of angling to topple President Mugabe through manipulation of party structures.

Cde Kasukuwere also faces allegations of imposing Cde Ronald Chindedza in Norton, who went on to lose to independent candidate Mr Temba Mliswa in a by-election late last year.

Members of the Mashonaland West PCC ululated and cheered as Cde Ziyambi read out the resolution to have Cde Kasukuwere relieved of his duties.

Some shouted “ngaaende ngaaende”, meaning he should be booted out of the party and Government.

“The national political commissar has no orientation and is power hungry, which is compounded by serious corrupt tendencies,” said Mhondoro-Ngezi National Assembly member Cde Mike Gava.

Central Committee member Cde Phiness Makumbe said Cde Kasukuwere was running the party “like a tuck shop” by setting some parallel structures.

Asked to comment on allegations that he was not a card carrying party member, Cde Kasukuwere said: “These people are mad. Go on the Internet and type Kasukuwere, I will come out holding a party card, check on the number and see if it does not correspond with my name.”

The Mashonaland West PCC meeting also resolved to deal with disciplinary cases that had not been taken to the National Disciplinary Committee at provincial level.

This saw several members, including Makonde MP Cde Kindness Paradza and Cde Ziyambi Ziyambi (Zvimba West) being cleared of any wrong doing.

Chegutu East legislator and Central Committee member Cde Webster Shamu said failure to implement the party electronic card resolution was an indictment on Cde Kasukuwere.

Cde Ziyambi also read out a letter from the secretary for administration Dr Ignatius Chombo to ousted Women’s League treasurer Cde Mahoka.

The letter stated that the Politburo had accepted her resignation from her position in the wing.

It also said if she did not want any criminal proceedings instituted against her, she had to reimburse money, fuel and anything she used in the name of the party.

Cde Mahoka, the letter stated, reverted to being an ordinary card carrying member with rights and privileges accorded in the party constitution.

Tendai Mugabe in Harare and Walter Nyamukondiwa in Chinhoyi