ZANU PF has threatened to suspend party members hobnobbing with former national commissar Saviour Kasukuwere amid accusations that some were putting his image as well as that of the late former president Robert Mugabe on party WhatsApp groups.
The party also wants party members to always denounce its
former commissar, popularly known as Tyson, who relocated to South Africa after
the November 2017 coup that toppled Mugabe and ushered in President Emmerson
Mnangagwa’s rule.
Kasukuwere has been linked to a plot to challenge Mnangagwa
in the 2023 general elections, a move that has heavily polarised ruling party
structures, with some opposed to Mnangagwa’s rule seemingly warming up for his
return.
The ruling party is now sweating over Kasukuwere’s possible
return, a development that will further split the party already polarised along
Mnangagwa and his deputy Constantino Chiwenga factions.
Zanu PF insiders have disclosed that secretary for war
veterans Douglas Mahiya a fortnight ago told party members at the ruling
party’s Harare headquarters that a decision had been taken to suspend anyone,
who will be found having links to Kasukuwere.
Mahiya initially put a notice to that effect on the notice
board before removing it. He went on to read it to party members from Harare’s
zone 4.
The purpose of the meeting was to announce the elevation of
Harare Provincial Affairs minister, Oliver Chidawu into the politburo.
Chidawu wanted to be Harare provincial chairperson before
his appointment into the politburo.
“There is a memo advising party structures that anyone, who
is found supporting Kasukuwere will be suspended from the party,” a party
insider said.
“Mahiya told party structures that anyone found with
Kasukuwere’s picture on their WhatsApp status or party group icons will be
suspended. This also included Mugabe’s picture.
The party wants to dilute Kasukuwere’s perceived support
base in the ruling Zanu PF party.”
According to the insider, Mahiya repeatedly threatened
stern action against party members, who violated the order during the district
coordinating committee (DCC4) meeting.
“It was made clear that all meetings should denounce
Kasukuwere and the G40 cabal without fail and anyone who is seen posting
pictures of him, even with Mugabe in that picture, should face disciplinary
action,” the insider added.
Mahiya refused to comment yesterday saying: “I cannot
comment on that issue.”
Mahiya is reported to have taken the same message to other
provinces to try to destroy Kasukuwere’s perceived support within the party
structures.
Zanu PF is using mostly 2014 party structures that worked
with Kasukuwere as the commissar.
There have been reports that most party structures opposed
to Mnangagwa and are currently backing Chiwenga to take over, are backing
Kasukuwere.
Zanu PF is having sleepless nights over a possible G40
resurgence amid reports that a faction within the ruling party was rooting for
the former Local Government minister to come back and lead the party ahead of
the 2023 harmonised elections.
Some politburo and central committee members, insiders claimed,
were reaching out to Kasukuwere although publicly blasting the former
commissar.
Last month, Zanu PF confirmed that a witch hunt was
underway to flush out those suspected to be linked to Kasukuwere who the party
suspects was behind a push through legal and other means to oust Mnangagwa and
“reclaim” the party.
Zanu PF has accused Kasukuwere of being behind the High
Court application by party activist Sybeth Musengezi challenging Mnangagwa’s
ascendancy to power in 2017 following the military coup that led to the ouster
of Mugabe.
Kasukuwere has denied the allegations. Standard
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