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Mugabe faces gay gangsters

by Staff reporter
01 Oct 2014 at 09:47hrs | Views
PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe is today expected to come face to face with alleged "Zanu-PF gay gangsters and CIA agents" when the party's politburo meets to try and calm a potentially explosive storm that has reached boiling point ahead of the December elective congress.

The meeting comes as succession fights have taken ugly turns and twists with some top officials publicly labelling their rivals "CIA spies and gay gangsters", while others have engaged in physical fights centred on factionalism.

Zanu-PF spokesperson Rugare Gumbo yesterday said the party politburo would discuss the action to take on errant members when they meet.

"That's an issue which will be dealt with by the politburo. We have read in the papers, but the politburo will meet and come up with a decision," Gumbo said.

He, however, declined to comment on the alleged assault of Mashonaland West provincial chairman Temba Mliswa by fellow executive member Beauty Zhuwao on Monday.

Beauty Zhuwao is the wife of Mugabe's nephew and politburo member Patrick Zhuwao.

"It is a provincial matter that will be dealt with at the level," Gumbo said.

A statement, seen by NewsDay, from Zanu-PF secretary for administration Didymus Mutasa confirmed that the politburo meeting would take place at the party's headquarters at 10am.

Although the agenda of the meeting could not be made public yesterday, NewsDay understands the public spat between party heavyweights along factional grounds had jolted Mugabe into action.

Zanu-PF officials have, for the past few months, been embroiled in nasty mudslinging matches as faction leaders jostled to strategically position themselves to succeed Mugabe.

The fights have seen a faction reportedly linked to Justice minister Emmerson Mnangagwa labelling MPs linked to Vice-President Joice Mujuru's camp as the "Dirty Dozen" and United States secret service agency Central Intelligence Agency spies after the legislators allegedly received development aid from the US Embassy.

Hurungwe MP Temba Mliswa was on Monday slapped by Beauty Zhuwao, forcing the abrupt adjournment of a provincial co-ordinating committee meeting.

Mliswa had in the morning addressed a Press conference in Harare where he blasted Information minister Jonathan Moyo, Environment minister Saviour Kasukuwere and Zanu-PF deputy information director Psychology Maziwisa, accusing them of hijacking the party.

Zhuwao was not spared in Mliswa's attacks, claiming he was fronting a movement to topple his uncle, Mugabe, who last month was forced to address another impromptu politburo meeting after tempters flared over the entry of his wife, Grace, into the political arena.

The faction reportedly linked to Mnangagwa was accusing the Mujuru camp of attempting to block Grace's rise to political stardom.

Mugabe waded into the conflict and threatened to deal with Harare South MP Shadreck Mashayamombe, who was being accused of fronting the resistance to Grace.

Sources told NewsDay party members from the Mnangagwa camp were planning to write a petition to have Mliswa fired as provincial chairman.

They allege, among other reasons, that the former Warriors' fitness trainer did not hail from the province.

However, other sources claim Mliswa was being sacrificed by Zanu-PF officials loyal to Local Government minister Ignatius Chombo and Information Technology minister Webster Shamu who felt threatened by Mliswa after he tore apart their provincial godfather tag.

Mliswa has already clashed with Shamu's wife, Constance.

Political analyst Alexander Rusero described the Zanu-PF fights as "a war of all against all, each men for himself, Mugabe for us all. It is no longer about factions; it is now about individuals, war of attention and mudslinging".

He added: "It is going to continue like that until the December congress. But the country will be suffering. Zanu-PF is forgetting that they have a bigger mandate beyond party politics."

The Politburo meets today to discuss several issues, among them the spy-gate saga which triggered the altercation between Mashonaland West provincial chairman Temba Mliswa and provincial executive committee member Beauty Zhuwawo on Monday.

Mliswa who is also the Hurungwe West legislator - stands accused of working with and receiving money from a CIA operative attached to the US Embassy in Harare.

His province is understood to be consulting to approach the Politburo to seek guidance on his continued leadership.

The Politburo is also expected to be seized with discussions on the fate of former Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Governor Gideon Gono whose bid to become a Senator for Manicaland was scuppered recently after it emerged that he was not a registered voter in the province as required by the law.

Zanu-PF national spokesperson Rugare Gumbo said though he was not privy to the agenda drafted by secretary for administration Didymus Mutasa, Mliswa and Gono's issues were likely to be discussed as they were in the public domain.

Source - newsday