VICE-President Phelekezela Mphoko yesterday reprimanded War
Veterans minister, Tshinga Dube for his alleged links to a faction backing his
counterpart, Emmerson Mnangagwa to take over from President Robert Mugabe.
Mphoko said it was embarrassing for Dube to be hobnobbing
with “nobodies” in the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association
(ZNLWVA) such as secretary-general Victor Matemadanda and chairperson
Christopher Mutsvangwa, who have shown open support for Mnangagwa.
The VP, who also mocked Zapu president Dumiso Dabengwa for
allegedly coalescing with Matemadanda and the Mutsvangwa-led ZNLWVA to push for
a Mnangagwa presidency, made the remarks while addressing Zanu PF supporters at
the party’s Bulawayo Davies Hall offices.
Mnangagwa allegedly leads a Zanu PF faction known by the
name Team Lacoste, which is at war with another group known as G40 over who
should take over should Mugabe step down, or is incapacitated over old age and
failing health.
The G40 faction is linked to first lady, Grace and her
93-year-old husband. Mphoko is also said to be a member of that faction.
“Tshinga, you are a senior person, I wonder why you hobnob
with the likes of Matemadanda. Those boys are nothing. You are more senior than
those boys. It’s embarrassing,” he said.
“Even Dabengwa, I was shocked to hear he is also doing the
same and meeting with the likes of Mutsvangwa.
“It is really embarrassing,” said Mphoko, who also
dismissed reports former South African president, Thabo Mbeki met Mugabe to
discuss the Zanu PF succession issue.
Dube, who courted controversy recently when he appeared to
be backing demands by war veterans that Mugabe’s succession must be discussed
openly, sat stone-faced as the VP went on the offensive.
According to some reports, Mutsvangwa met Dabengwa to nudge
the former Home Affairs minister to prod Zipra veterans to join forces with the
ZNLWVA to support a Mnangagwa presidency.
Zipra was a military wing of Zapu during the liberation
struggle. Mphoko said any other Zanu PF member and faction that has
no tacit support of Mugabe is lost, and “will cry”.
“Mbeki was in the country to discuss issues to do with
business, not anything to do with succession and politics,” he said.
“There is no one who belongs to Mnangagwa, no-one who
belongs to Report [Mphoko]. Everyone belongs to Mugabe.
“If you want to get lost, have a mentality that you belong
to someone. Stop worshipping people, but worship the party. Do no support
anyone, but the president. Support me through the president. If you support me
outside the president, you are getting lost.
“Unless, you do the right thing and follow what I am
telling you, you will get lost and you will cry till you have no tears. Use me
as your reference point, I have never been lost.”
Mphoko also defended George Mlala, the deputy to
self-proclaimed ZNLWVA association leader, Mandi Chimhene, as a genuine war
veteran after Dube dismissed him as a fraudster and a bogus ex-combatant.
Chimene and Mlala have been pushing for the ouster of Dube
as War Veterans minister. But Mphoko said the two should amicably solve their
differences.
“I don’t want to lie to you. I have been with Mlala since
way back. We operated together as a unit in North East that was commandeered by
[one] Mazinyane,” he said.
“Mlala and Tshinga must amicably solve their differences. I
as the VP, will fix this [Mlala-Dube fighting].”
The meeting was attended by Zanu PF politburo and central
committee members, as well as the provincial executive and other ordinary party
members. Standard
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