Kasukuwere Faces the Axe in Zimbabwe
Sunday Mail Reporters
The Zanu-PF Mashonaland Central provincial executive wants National Political Commissar Cde Saviour Kasukuwere fired for “plotting to topple” President Mugabe.
Also in the firing line is Mashonaland Central provincial chair Cde Dickson Mafios, who is Cde Kasukuwere’s step-brother, for allegedly undermining Zanu-PF’s constitution.
A demonstration has been lined up for Bindura tomorrow, with other provinces open to the idea of passing a no-confidence vote on Cde Kasukuwere.
Members of the Mashonaland Central provincial executive met in Bindura yesterday and resolved to stage the demonstration and then move to have the brothers kicked out of office.
Cde Kasukuwere cut his mobile phone when The Sunday Mail tried to get his comment last night, but it is understood that he spent the better part of last week seeking audience with President Mugabe to plead for mercy.
It could not be established by the time of writing if the meeting took place as Presidential spokesperson Mr George Charamba was not reachable for comment.
It is understood some characters linked to Cde Kasukuwere went around Bindura last night intimidating party supporters to prevent them from participating in tomorrow’s demonstration.
Nonetheless, Zanu-PF Central Committee member from Mashonaland Central, Advocate Martin Dinha, told The Sunday Mail, “The provincial leadership has already rejected Kasukuwere and Mafios. What remains now is due process.”
Cde Kasukuwere is accused of “capturing party structures” via candidate impositions with the ultimate objective of advocating for an Extraordinary Zanu-PF Congress ahead of next year’s harmonised elections to replace the party’s President and First Secretary, Cde Mugabe.
He has also courted the ire of Women’s League members for allegedly trying to block their countrywide demonstrations against their Deputy Secretary Cde Eunice Nomthandazo Moyo and Finance Secretary Cde Sarah Mahoka.
Cdes Nomthandazo Moyo and Mahoka face disciplinary action for undermining the authority of Women’s League secretary and First Lady Amai Grace Mugabe, with their fate possibly coming up for discussion at this week’s Zanu-PF Politburo meeting.
Chipadze district political commissar Cde Moses Mazema said: “Our party is being destroyed by this family. Whoever crosses their path will be fired. We all know Mashonaland Central as the backbone of Zanu-PF, but that is no longer the case because Tyson (Cde Kasukuwere’s nickname) and his gang have alienated the party from the people.
“The party has almost become their personal fiefdom. Because of their actions, people are turning against the party. The only way to stop this mess is for the President to fire Kasukuwere.”
A senior member of the Mashonaland Central provincial youth wing added: “We are fed up with Saviour! He is a bully who is always intimidating party members especially those who go against his wishes. It is known that as PC, Kasukuwere has fired more people from the party compared to those he has recruited…
“They have now established what we know here as the ‘Matope Brothers’. The Matope area is where Saviour and Mafios come from, and their clique is terrorising people here. Cases of violence against fellow party members is rampant in his constituency.
“People in the party are living in fear all the time. He is bringing the party down everyday. His brother, Mafios, has some personal issues that people here do not agree with.”
Cde Mafios last year tried to get Zanu-PF’s constitution changed to strip President Mugabe of the power to appoint his own deputies in the party, a move that no province – including his own – or party structure supported.
He is also accused of stalling construction of Zanu-PF’s Mashonaland Central provincial headquarters.
The party is renting offices, and this has angered some party members who claim donations have been made towards the completion of the provincial HQ.
Zanu-PF Mashonaland West provincial chairman Cde Ephraim Chengeta said the anti-Kasukuwere lobby was yet to formally reach him.
“We will give you more details as soon as anything comes up, but let it be known that anyone who messes with the President and the First Lady will be sent packing and there are no two ways about it. We were fully behind the Women’s League countrywide protests against Cdes Moyo and Mahoka as we don’t want anyone who goes against (Amai).”
In Mashonaland West, Cde Kasukuwere’s alleged proxy, Cde Mahoka, allegedly engineered votes of no confidence on several Women’s League provincial executive members as part of the plan to “capture the province”.
Women’s League Mashonaland West provincial chairperson Cde Angeline Muchemeyi said: “Mahoka was imposing candidates, saying this is what the First Lady wanted. She also wanted to remove me from my position. It was only after we had our meeting with the First Lady that we realised that she had been lying to us.”
Zanu-PF candidate in the Norton by-election Cde Ronald Chindedza is said to have lost to Mr Temba Mliswa, an independent, after having been imposed by Cde Kasukuwere.
Cde Kasukuwere has reportedly been working through Cdes Moyo, Mahoka, Kudzanayi Chipanga (Youth League secretary) and Shadreck Mashayamombe (Harare provincial political commissar) to achieve his alleged objective of an Extraordinary Zanu-PF Congress.
Kasukuwere torments Mudzidzi Wimbo
April 3, 2017
Mudzidzi Wimbo
Herald Reporter—
EMBATTLED Zanu-PF national political commissar Cde Saviour Kasukuwere has been accused of being the brains behind problems afflicting Mudzidzi Wimbo of the Vadzidzi VaJeso church after the cleric refused to make a false prophecy that Cde Kasukuwere would succeed President Mugabe. Mudzidzi Wimbo (Mr Aaron Mhukuta) is famed for making a popular prophecy in 1957 predicting that President Mugabe would be the first black leader of independent Zimbabwe.
He is now staying at his shrine in Madziwa, Mashonaland Central, where he is helping several people spiritually after voluntarily leaving his ancestral home on July 1, 2015.
One of his sons, Mr Zvadashe Gomo, told The Herald over the weekend that Cde Kasukuwere, working with a few individuals, was fomenting claims that his father was kidnapped by four of his assistants.
Mr Gomo said Cde Kasukuwere and his clique were the ones who wanted to force his father to return to his village home where they wanted to force him to make a false prophecy anointing him as President Mugabe’s successor.
He said he had been forced to let the cat out of the bag after reading several misleading stories in the private media claiming that his father was kidnapped by his four lieutenants.
The four are Messrs Ishmael Magodi (national leader), Shephard Chingwena (secretary-general), Zex Pamacheche (first committee member) and Edison Mukohwa (second committee member).
“I want to make it very clear that my father was never kidnapped as alleged in the private media,” he said.
“Everyone else knows that my father made a prophecy in 1957 predicting that President Mugabe will be the first black President of an independent Zimbabwe. Now, Cde Kasukuwere, working with some of my brothers and his Zanu-PF loyalists, wants to force my father to go back to that home and make a false prophecy anointing him as the next President.
“They know that Mudzidzi Wimbo is well respected, and they now want to take advantage of his advanced age to fulfil their political ambitions. They are the ones who are behind the stories claiming that Mudzidzi Wimbo was kidnapped, which are not true.
“I can tell you that when Mudzidzi Wimbo left our village home, one of my brothers is the one who was driving the truck that carried his luggage to this shrine. He asked my brothers to join him if they were interested but they refused.”
Mr Gomo continued: “For the record, Mudzidzi Wimbo is the one who prophesied some time back that he would want to stay at this shrine where he would build his sanctuary with many facilities including a school.
“In any case, my brothers were being violent and it was now difficult for him to do the work of God at that home as his followers were being harassed on a daily basis.
“He is the one who anointed his assistants who are now being persecuted in the media on false allegations that they kidnapped him. The commissioning of the four assistants was done in full glare of everyone.
“Mudzidzi Wimbo is the one who called them to the shrine after they were expelled from our village home by my brothers. The other problem is that my brothers think that Mudzidzi Wimbo’s assistants are making a lot of money from the church, and they are smearing them to force them out of the church.”
Mr Gomo said contrary to reports that Mudzidzi Wimbo was kidnapped, he was steering several developmental projects at his shrine that were transforming the Madziwa area.
He said, surprisingly, the private media chose to turn a blind eye on the projects.
Among other projects he said, Mudzidzi Wimbo oversaw the construction of a boarding school at the shrine that was officially opened by Primary and Secondary Education Minister Dr Lazarus Dokora.
He said Mudzidzi Wimbo also participated in the Government specialised maize production scheme Command Agriculture under which he utilised 60 hectares of land.
“In your view, do you think that someone who is in captivity can do such developments? We are tired of these false stories and interference by politicians. When President Mugabe came to Bindura last year, I wanted to expose this whole plot but Cde Kasukuwere chucked me out of that meeting. Why is it that when they talk about Mudzidzi Wimbo’s children they don’t talk about me? They know I will expose them,” he said.
Mr Chingwena, who is one of Mudzidzi Wimbo’s assistants, said: “We are serving at the pleasure of Mudzidzi Wimbo because he is the one who commissioned us to be his assistants. Our church is not a family organisation after it was founded by Johanne who came from Rusape in 1931. He was not related to Mudzidzi Wimbo or even his successor.”
Efforts to get comment from Cde Kasukuwere were fruitless as calls were not going through.
High noon for Kasukuwere
April 3, 2017
Herald Reporter—
THE demonstration against Zanu-PF national commissar Cde Saviour Kasukuwere is on today in Bindura after several members of the provincial executive recommended his expulsion from the ruling party on allegations of plotting to unconstitutionally unseat President Mugabe. Other provinces are also reported to be open to the idea of passing a no-confidence vote on Cde Kasukuwere whose presidential ambitions are now in the public domain.
He is accused of trying to capture party structures via candidate impositions with the ultimate objective of advocating for an Extraordinary Zanu-PF Congress ahead of next year’s harmonised elections to replace the party’s President and First Secretary, Cde Mugabe, who has since been endorsed by provinces as the party’s sole candidate.
Cde Kasukuwere also invited the wrath of Women’s League members for allegedly trying to block their countrywide demonstrations against their deputy secretary, Cde Eunice Nomthandazo Moyo, and finance secretary Cde Sarah Mahoka.
The league resolved to fire Cdes Nomthandazo Moyo and Mahoka for undermining the authority of Women’s League secretary and First Lady Amai Grace Mugabe, with their fate possibly coming up for discussion at this week’s Zanu-PF Politburo meeting.
Cde Kasukuwere yesterday tried to pre-empt today’s demonstration by organising a solidarity march for President Mugabe, but the application for the march was turned down by the police.
According to police officials, party members loyal to Cde Kasukuwere wrote a letter to Bindura police requesting permission to hold the march, but the request was dismissed because of another programme which had already been approved.
Cde Kasukuwere was also accused of deploying members of the provincial Youth League on Saturday to intimidate people against participating in today’s demonstration.
The youths include Cdes Isaiah Karina, who is Mashonaland Central Youth League chairman, and Cdes Caleb Mandaza, Helen Mashongonyika, Shumba Nyamangara and an official from the President’s Office identified as Ndawara.
Sources in Mashonaland Central said at least three quarters of the Members of Parliament in the province had also endorsed the anti-Kasukuwere demonstration.
“People here are fed up with Cde Kasukuwere and his brother (Cde Dickson Mafios’) leadership. At first, people thought this was going to end, but they have realised that these brothers are up to something,” said a member of the provincial executive.
Zanu-PF Central Committee member Cde Ephraim Mavhangira told The Herald in an interview that people in Mashonaland Central were fed up with Cde Kasukuwere’s style of leadership.
He added that he had resisted attempts to force him not to take part in today’s demonstration.
“They tried to intimidate me but I stood my ground,” he said.
“Cde Kasukuwere has been working against the President and it is not the first time that I am saying that. They (youths loyal to Cde Kasukuwere) confronted me but I stood my ground.
“You (The Herald) are doing a great job because these guys have become a problem, especially for people in Mashonaland Central.”
Cde Shantel Mbereko, who was forced out of Mashonaland Central provincial structures for refusing to pander to Cde Kasukuwere’s whims, said she had received threatening messages.
“I received text (Short Message Service) messages from people threatening to beat me up if I participate in Monday’s demonstrations. One of the messages were sent by a person that identified himself as Nickson and another one who identified himself as Honourable,” she said.
A member of the Zanu-PF Mashonaland provincial executive who declined to be named said: “He (Cde Kasukuwere) is refusing to go down alone. He has employed the services of provincial member Cde Concilia Gonzo and one Jacha to intimidate people not to attend the demonstration. But I can assure you that there will be a huge turnout because people are fed up by Cde Kasukuwere and Cde Mafios’ leadership.”
Cde Mafios last year tried to smuggle a resolution to amend the Zanu-PF constitution to bar President Mugabe from appointing his deputies.
Cde Kasukuwere, who has in the past refused to talk to The Herald, could not be reached on his mobile phone until late last night.
Kasukuwere’s woes mount
April 1, 2017
Herald Reporter—
Zanu-PF members in Mashonaland Central Province are pressing for the ouster of the party’s national political commissar Cde Saviour Kasukuwere, accusing him of trying to sabotage recent Women’s League demonstrations.Cde Kasukuwere, who is also Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister, was not reachable for comment yesterday.
Women’s League members countrywide demonstrated against the organ’s two senior members — Cdes Eunice Sandi Moyo and Sarah Mahoka.
Apart from accusations related to the demonstration, party members from Mashonaland Central, where Cde Kasukuwere hails from, are accusing him of fanning factionalism by setting up parallel structures and incessant interference in provincial affairs.
Cde Kasukuwere was also accused of trying to grab mines owned by members of the party’s Women’s League for personal benefit.
Zanu-PF members who spoke to The Herald in Bindura yesterday said Cde Kasukuwere’s leadership style as the party’s commissar was below par, compared to his predecessors, as he was dividing the party.
Cde Shantel Mbereko, who was forced to resign from the Mashonaland Central provincial structures after she allegedly refused to hand over women’s mining claims to Cde Kasukuwere said: “We were so surprised by the behaviour of the national PC (political commissar) because on the day of the demos people were barred from taking part.
“After women were mobilised to take part in the demonstration, an instruction then came from the national PC saying people should not attend it as there was a rice distribution programme on that same day.
“It was later changed to say we should go to Kitsiyatota where we would be given mining claims. As a result, there was a low turnout in Mashonaland Central for the demonstration.
“We then started to ask questions to say, all along we thought Cde Kasukuwere and his team were working together with the First Lady and President Mugabe, yet they are working against them.”
Cde Mbereko said the party should censure Cde Kasukuwere, together with his half-brother and provincial chair Cde Dickson Mafios “for such betrayal to our First Lady and leader of the Women’s League”.
She said Cde Mafios was the one coordinating Cde Kasukuwere’s instructions in the province.
“Another area of concern, is the way he (Cde Kasukuwere) is interfering in the affairs of the province and going down at constituency level here in Bindura,” said Cde Mbereko.
“We have our legislator Cde Kenneth Musanhi, but he has been rendered irrelevant by Cde Kasukuwere who is running the show here.”
Cde Diston Wadi, who is a Zanu-PF district member in Bindura’s Chipindura district said: “We are not happy with the way the provincial chairman is operating and remember, he is half brother to the national political commissar.
“He (Cde Mafios) is poor and he just takes orders from the national political commissar. I think the mistake that we made was to allow confirmation of an acting chairman who was not elected by the people. A chairman should be voted by the people for him to serve their interests.
“As it stands right now, the chairman is serving the interests of the national PC, who is also his half brother.”
Another district member from Bindura urban, Cde Lucky Mabheka said: “I think when it comes to leadership, the national PC and his brother, who is our provincial chairman, have failed.
“As such, we are appealing to the national leadership to take measures against them. They have destroyed not only our livelihoods here in Bindura, but also the party.
“Cde Kasukuwere is literally running the province and district structures. We have never seen such kind of leadership in Zanu-PF. What is clear is that he is setting up parallel structures with a sinister motive. We want the two to be removed from their positions if we are to rebuild the party in a way that guarantees victory in next year’s elections.”
Commenting on Cde Kasukuwere’s interference in Women’s League affairs, Zimbabwe Liberation War Collaborators Association (Ziliwaco) chairperson Cde Pupurai Togarepi said: “Ziliwaco supports the Women’s League position that they don’t want interference by men.
“The secretary for Women’s League (Dr Grace Mugabe) is a capable leader and allowing her to give direction to the league is most ideal for the stability of the party.
“The Women’s League is a critical wing of the revolutionary party which should be kept stable for the good of our great party. If there are men who are doing that we demand that they desist forthwith.”
During the demonstrations against Cdes Sandi Moyo and Mahoka in Harare, some members of the Women’s League revealed that Cde Kasukuwere had tried to influence them against the act through his side kick and Harare provincial commissar Cde Shadreck Mashayamombe.
Women’s League executive members who met in Harare last week also called for action against Cde Kasukuwere’s actions.
The Zanu-PF Mashonaland Central provincial executive wants National Political Commissar Cde Saviour Kasukuwere fired for “plotting to topple” President Mugabe.
Also in the firing line is Mashonaland Central provincial chair Cde Dickson Mafios, who is Cde Kasukuwere’s step-brother, for allegedly undermining Zanu-PF’s constitution.
A demonstration has been lined up for Bindura tomorrow, with other provinces open to the idea of passing a no-confidence vote on Cde Kasukuwere.
Members of the Mashonaland Central provincial executive met in Bindura yesterday and resolved to stage the demonstration and then move to have the brothers kicked out of office.
Cde Kasukuwere cut his mobile phone when The Sunday Mail tried to get his comment last night, but it is understood that he spent the better part of last week seeking audience with President Mugabe to plead for mercy.
It could not be established by the time of writing if the meeting took place as Presidential spokesperson Mr George Charamba was not reachable for comment.
It is understood some characters linked to Cde Kasukuwere went around Bindura last night intimidating party supporters to prevent them from participating in tomorrow’s demonstration.
Nonetheless, Zanu-PF Central Committee member from Mashonaland Central, Advocate Martin Dinha, told The Sunday Mail, “The provincial leadership has already rejected Kasukuwere and Mafios. What remains now is due process.”
Cde Kasukuwere is accused of “capturing party structures” via candidate impositions with the ultimate objective of advocating for an Extraordinary Zanu-PF Congress ahead of next year’s harmonised elections to replace the party’s President and First Secretary, Cde Mugabe.
He has also courted the ire of Women’s League members for allegedly trying to block their countrywide demonstrations against their Deputy Secretary Cde Eunice Nomthandazo Moyo and Finance Secretary Cde Sarah Mahoka.
Cdes Nomthandazo Moyo and Mahoka face disciplinary action for undermining the authority of Women’s League secretary and First Lady Amai Grace Mugabe, with their fate possibly coming up for discussion at this week’s Zanu-PF Politburo meeting.
Chipadze district political commissar Cde Moses Mazema said: “Our party is being destroyed by this family. Whoever crosses their path will be fired. We all know Mashonaland Central as the backbone of Zanu-PF, but that is no longer the case because Tyson (Cde Kasukuwere’s nickname) and his gang have alienated the party from the people.
“The party has almost become their personal fiefdom. Because of their actions, people are turning against the party. The only way to stop this mess is for the President to fire Kasukuwere.”
A senior member of the Mashonaland Central provincial youth wing added: “We are fed up with Saviour! He is a bully who is always intimidating party members especially those who go against his wishes. It is known that as PC, Kasukuwere has fired more people from the party compared to those he has recruited…
“They have now established what we know here as the ‘Matope Brothers’. The Matope area is where Saviour and Mafios come from, and their clique is terrorising people here. Cases of violence against fellow party members is rampant in his constituency.
“People in the party are living in fear all the time. He is bringing the party down everyday. His brother, Mafios, has some personal issues that people here do not agree with.”
Cde Mafios last year tried to get Zanu-PF’s constitution changed to strip President Mugabe of the power to appoint his own deputies in the party, a move that no province – including his own – or party structure supported.
He is also accused of stalling construction of Zanu-PF’s Mashonaland Central provincial headquarters.
The party is renting offices, and this has angered some party members who claim donations have been made towards the completion of the provincial HQ.
Zanu-PF Mashonaland West provincial chairman Cde Ephraim Chengeta said the anti-Kasukuwere lobby was yet to formally reach him.
“We will give you more details as soon as anything comes up, but let it be known that anyone who messes with the President and the First Lady will be sent packing and there are no two ways about it. We were fully behind the Women’s League countrywide protests against Cdes Moyo and Mahoka as we don’t want anyone who goes against (Amai).”
In Mashonaland West, Cde Kasukuwere’s alleged proxy, Cde Mahoka, allegedly engineered votes of no confidence on several Women’s League provincial executive members as part of the plan to “capture the province”.
Women’s League Mashonaland West provincial chairperson Cde Angeline Muchemeyi said: “Mahoka was imposing candidates, saying this is what the First Lady wanted. She also wanted to remove me from my position. It was only after we had our meeting with the First Lady that we realised that she had been lying to us.”
Zanu-PF candidate in the Norton by-election Cde Ronald Chindedza is said to have lost to Mr Temba Mliswa, an independent, after having been imposed by Cde Kasukuwere.
Cde Kasukuwere has reportedly been working through Cdes Moyo, Mahoka, Kudzanayi Chipanga (Youth League secretary) and Shadreck Mashayamombe (Harare provincial political commissar) to achieve his alleged objective of an Extraordinary Zanu-PF Congress.
Kasukuwere torments Mudzidzi Wimbo
April 3, 2017
Mudzidzi Wimbo
Herald Reporter—
EMBATTLED Zanu-PF national political commissar Cde Saviour Kasukuwere has been accused of being the brains behind problems afflicting Mudzidzi Wimbo of the Vadzidzi VaJeso church after the cleric refused to make a false prophecy that Cde Kasukuwere would succeed President Mugabe. Mudzidzi Wimbo (Mr Aaron Mhukuta) is famed for making a popular prophecy in 1957 predicting that President Mugabe would be the first black leader of independent Zimbabwe.
He is now staying at his shrine in Madziwa, Mashonaland Central, where he is helping several people spiritually after voluntarily leaving his ancestral home on July 1, 2015.
One of his sons, Mr Zvadashe Gomo, told The Herald over the weekend that Cde Kasukuwere, working with a few individuals, was fomenting claims that his father was kidnapped by four of his assistants.
Mr Gomo said Cde Kasukuwere and his clique were the ones who wanted to force his father to return to his village home where they wanted to force him to make a false prophecy anointing him as President Mugabe’s successor.
He said he had been forced to let the cat out of the bag after reading several misleading stories in the private media claiming that his father was kidnapped by his four lieutenants.
The four are Messrs Ishmael Magodi (national leader), Shephard Chingwena (secretary-general), Zex Pamacheche (first committee member) and Edison Mukohwa (second committee member).
“I want to make it very clear that my father was never kidnapped as alleged in the private media,” he said.
“Everyone else knows that my father made a prophecy in 1957 predicting that President Mugabe will be the first black President of an independent Zimbabwe. Now, Cde Kasukuwere, working with some of my brothers and his Zanu-PF loyalists, wants to force my father to go back to that home and make a false prophecy anointing him as the next President.
“They know that Mudzidzi Wimbo is well respected, and they now want to take advantage of his advanced age to fulfil their political ambitions. They are the ones who are behind the stories claiming that Mudzidzi Wimbo was kidnapped, which are not true.
“I can tell you that when Mudzidzi Wimbo left our village home, one of my brothers is the one who was driving the truck that carried his luggage to this shrine. He asked my brothers to join him if they were interested but they refused.”
Mr Gomo continued: “For the record, Mudzidzi Wimbo is the one who prophesied some time back that he would want to stay at this shrine where he would build his sanctuary with many facilities including a school.
“In any case, my brothers were being violent and it was now difficult for him to do the work of God at that home as his followers were being harassed on a daily basis.
“He is the one who anointed his assistants who are now being persecuted in the media on false allegations that they kidnapped him. The commissioning of the four assistants was done in full glare of everyone.
“Mudzidzi Wimbo is the one who called them to the shrine after they were expelled from our village home by my brothers. The other problem is that my brothers think that Mudzidzi Wimbo’s assistants are making a lot of money from the church, and they are smearing them to force them out of the church.”
Mr Gomo said contrary to reports that Mudzidzi Wimbo was kidnapped, he was steering several developmental projects at his shrine that were transforming the Madziwa area.
He said, surprisingly, the private media chose to turn a blind eye on the projects.
Among other projects he said, Mudzidzi Wimbo oversaw the construction of a boarding school at the shrine that was officially opened by Primary and Secondary Education Minister Dr Lazarus Dokora.
He said Mudzidzi Wimbo also participated in the Government specialised maize production scheme Command Agriculture under which he utilised 60 hectares of land.
“In your view, do you think that someone who is in captivity can do such developments? We are tired of these false stories and interference by politicians. When President Mugabe came to Bindura last year, I wanted to expose this whole plot but Cde Kasukuwere chucked me out of that meeting. Why is it that when they talk about Mudzidzi Wimbo’s children they don’t talk about me? They know I will expose them,” he said.
Mr Chingwena, who is one of Mudzidzi Wimbo’s assistants, said: “We are serving at the pleasure of Mudzidzi Wimbo because he is the one who commissioned us to be his assistants. Our church is not a family organisation after it was founded by Johanne who came from Rusape in 1931. He was not related to Mudzidzi Wimbo or even his successor.”
Efforts to get comment from Cde Kasukuwere were fruitless as calls were not going through.
High noon for Kasukuwere
April 3, 2017
Herald Reporter—
THE demonstration against Zanu-PF national commissar Cde Saviour Kasukuwere is on today in Bindura after several members of the provincial executive recommended his expulsion from the ruling party on allegations of plotting to unconstitutionally unseat President Mugabe. Other provinces are also reported to be open to the idea of passing a no-confidence vote on Cde Kasukuwere whose presidential ambitions are now in the public domain.
He is accused of trying to capture party structures via candidate impositions with the ultimate objective of advocating for an Extraordinary Zanu-PF Congress ahead of next year’s harmonised elections to replace the party’s President and First Secretary, Cde Mugabe, who has since been endorsed by provinces as the party’s sole candidate.
Cde Kasukuwere also invited the wrath of Women’s League members for allegedly trying to block their countrywide demonstrations against their deputy secretary, Cde Eunice Nomthandazo Moyo, and finance secretary Cde Sarah Mahoka.
The league resolved to fire Cdes Nomthandazo Moyo and Mahoka for undermining the authority of Women’s League secretary and First Lady Amai Grace Mugabe, with their fate possibly coming up for discussion at this week’s Zanu-PF Politburo meeting.
Cde Kasukuwere yesterday tried to pre-empt today’s demonstration by organising a solidarity march for President Mugabe, but the application for the march was turned down by the police.
According to police officials, party members loyal to Cde Kasukuwere wrote a letter to Bindura police requesting permission to hold the march, but the request was dismissed because of another programme which had already been approved.
Cde Kasukuwere was also accused of deploying members of the provincial Youth League on Saturday to intimidate people against participating in today’s demonstration.
The youths include Cdes Isaiah Karina, who is Mashonaland Central Youth League chairman, and Cdes Caleb Mandaza, Helen Mashongonyika, Shumba Nyamangara and an official from the President’s Office identified as Ndawara.
Sources in Mashonaland Central said at least three quarters of the Members of Parliament in the province had also endorsed the anti-Kasukuwere demonstration.
“People here are fed up with Cde Kasukuwere and his brother (Cde Dickson Mafios’) leadership. At first, people thought this was going to end, but they have realised that these brothers are up to something,” said a member of the provincial executive.
Zanu-PF Central Committee member Cde Ephraim Mavhangira told The Herald in an interview that people in Mashonaland Central were fed up with Cde Kasukuwere’s style of leadership.
He added that he had resisted attempts to force him not to take part in today’s demonstration.
“They tried to intimidate me but I stood my ground,” he said.
“Cde Kasukuwere has been working against the President and it is not the first time that I am saying that. They (youths loyal to Cde Kasukuwere) confronted me but I stood my ground.
“You (The Herald) are doing a great job because these guys have become a problem, especially for people in Mashonaland Central.”
Cde Shantel Mbereko, who was forced out of Mashonaland Central provincial structures for refusing to pander to Cde Kasukuwere’s whims, said she had received threatening messages.
“I received text (Short Message Service) messages from people threatening to beat me up if I participate in Monday’s demonstrations. One of the messages were sent by a person that identified himself as Nickson and another one who identified himself as Honourable,” she said.
A member of the Zanu-PF Mashonaland provincial executive who declined to be named said: “He (Cde Kasukuwere) is refusing to go down alone. He has employed the services of provincial member Cde Concilia Gonzo and one Jacha to intimidate people not to attend the demonstration. But I can assure you that there will be a huge turnout because people are fed up by Cde Kasukuwere and Cde Mafios’ leadership.”
Cde Mafios last year tried to smuggle a resolution to amend the Zanu-PF constitution to bar President Mugabe from appointing his deputies.
Cde Kasukuwere, who has in the past refused to talk to The Herald, could not be reached on his mobile phone until late last night.
Kasukuwere’s woes mount
April 1, 2017
Herald Reporter—
Zanu-PF members in Mashonaland Central Province are pressing for the ouster of the party’s national political commissar Cde Saviour Kasukuwere, accusing him of trying to sabotage recent Women’s League demonstrations.Cde Kasukuwere, who is also Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister, was not reachable for comment yesterday.
Women’s League members countrywide demonstrated against the organ’s two senior members — Cdes Eunice Sandi Moyo and Sarah Mahoka.
Apart from accusations related to the demonstration, party members from Mashonaland Central, where Cde Kasukuwere hails from, are accusing him of fanning factionalism by setting up parallel structures and incessant interference in provincial affairs.
Cde Kasukuwere was also accused of trying to grab mines owned by members of the party’s Women’s League for personal benefit.
Zanu-PF members who spoke to The Herald in Bindura yesterday said Cde Kasukuwere’s leadership style as the party’s commissar was below par, compared to his predecessors, as he was dividing the party.
Cde Shantel Mbereko, who was forced to resign from the Mashonaland Central provincial structures after she allegedly refused to hand over women’s mining claims to Cde Kasukuwere said: “We were so surprised by the behaviour of the national PC (political commissar) because on the day of the demos people were barred from taking part.
“After women were mobilised to take part in the demonstration, an instruction then came from the national PC saying people should not attend it as there was a rice distribution programme on that same day.
“It was later changed to say we should go to Kitsiyatota where we would be given mining claims. As a result, there was a low turnout in Mashonaland Central for the demonstration.
“We then started to ask questions to say, all along we thought Cde Kasukuwere and his team were working together with the First Lady and President Mugabe, yet they are working against them.”
Cde Mbereko said the party should censure Cde Kasukuwere, together with his half-brother and provincial chair Cde Dickson Mafios “for such betrayal to our First Lady and leader of the Women’s League”.
She said Cde Mafios was the one coordinating Cde Kasukuwere’s instructions in the province.
“Another area of concern, is the way he (Cde Kasukuwere) is interfering in the affairs of the province and going down at constituency level here in Bindura,” said Cde Mbereko.
“We have our legislator Cde Kenneth Musanhi, but he has been rendered irrelevant by Cde Kasukuwere who is running the show here.”
Cde Diston Wadi, who is a Zanu-PF district member in Bindura’s Chipindura district said: “We are not happy with the way the provincial chairman is operating and remember, he is half brother to the national political commissar.
“He (Cde Mafios) is poor and he just takes orders from the national political commissar. I think the mistake that we made was to allow confirmation of an acting chairman who was not elected by the people. A chairman should be voted by the people for him to serve their interests.
“As it stands right now, the chairman is serving the interests of the national PC, who is also his half brother.”
Another district member from Bindura urban, Cde Lucky Mabheka said: “I think when it comes to leadership, the national PC and his brother, who is our provincial chairman, have failed.
“As such, we are appealing to the national leadership to take measures against them. They have destroyed not only our livelihoods here in Bindura, but also the party.
“Cde Kasukuwere is literally running the province and district structures. We have never seen such kind of leadership in Zanu-PF. What is clear is that he is setting up parallel structures with a sinister motive. We want the two to be removed from their positions if we are to rebuild the party in a way that guarantees victory in next year’s elections.”
Commenting on Cde Kasukuwere’s interference in Women’s League affairs, Zimbabwe Liberation War Collaborators Association (Ziliwaco) chairperson Cde Pupurai Togarepi said: “Ziliwaco supports the Women’s League position that they don’t want interference by men.
“The secretary for Women’s League (Dr Grace Mugabe) is a capable leader and allowing her to give direction to the league is most ideal for the stability of the party.
“The Women’s League is a critical wing of the revolutionary party which should be kept stable for the good of our great party. If there are men who are doing that we demand that they desist forthwith.”
During the demonstrations against Cdes Sandi Moyo and Mahoka in Harare, some members of the Women’s League revealed that Cde Kasukuwere had tried to influence them against the act through his side kick and Harare provincial commissar Cde Shadreck Mashayamombe.
Women’s League executive members who met in Harare last week also called for action against Cde Kasukuwere’s actions.
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