President Emmerson Mnangagwa allegedly gave under-fire Zanu
PF youth league leaders the green light to launch a crusade against three
businessmen accused of sabotaging the economy, but backtracked after ruling
party heavyweights started baying for their blood, it has emerged.
A fortnight ago Zanu PF suspended its deputy secretary for
youths Lewis Matutu and Godfrey Tsenengamu, who was the youth’s league
commissar, after they claimed the businessmen with links to the ruling party
were behind the chaos in the economy.
Zanu PF secretary for youths Pupurai Togarepi was demoted
for failing to rein in the two after they claimed businessmen Kudakwashe
Tagwirei, Billy Rautenbach and Tafadzwa Musarara were behind Zimbabwe’s
economic troubles.
A Zanu PF official close to the developments in the party
said the “name and shame” campaign was mooted at Mnangagwa’s rural home in
Mapanzure during a party on New Year’s Eve.
The youths led by Matutu are said to have approached
Mnangagwa pleading with him to deal with “cartels that are bleeding the
economy”.
“Matutu approached Mnangagwa over the deteriorating economy
and told him that cartels were sabotaging the economy,” the source disclosed.
“The president then asked the youth league leaders: ‘Are
you afraid of shaming them?’
“That gave the youths the impression that he had given them
the go-ahead to name and shame the businessmen.”
Togarepi is said to have consulted Mnangagwa when
Tsenengamu and Matutu held their press conference. Insiders said Togarepi got
the impression that Mnangagwa supported their crusade.
Mnangagwa’s spokesperson George Charamba and Zanu PF
spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo were not reachable for comment yesterday.
Matutu was not picking calls yesterday. Tsenengamu refused to comment, insisting his actions were
personal.
“This was a personal decision I took,” he said. “I was not
at the meeting in Mapanzure, so how can I comment on something that happened
when I was not there? I know nothing about that.”
Togarepi also said he did not attend the Mapanzure party
and did not consult Mnangagwa over the press conference.
“Firstly, I did not attend the cross-over party. I also
never consulted the president when I issued a statement supporting Cdes Matutu
and Tsenengamu,” he said.
“I am not aware of any communication with the president,
which was done with the youths or myself on this issue,” he said.
“These are just fallacious theories, which should be
treated with the contempt they deserve.
“This issue has been concluded and we have accepted the
direction given by the party.”
Tsenengamu has vowed to continue with the campaign against
businesspeople that are allegedly sabotaging the economy despite the censure by
Zanu PF. Standard
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