Backing his minions … Saviour Kasukuwere
Sports Minister Makhosini Hlongwane, Tourism deputy minister Anastacia Ndlovu and Labour deputy minister Tapiwa Matangaidze are said to be members of the G40 group which is allegedly prepping First Lady Grace Mugabe to succeed her 91-year-old husband President Robert Mugabe.
Chief G40 drivers reportedly include local government minister Saviour Kasukuwere, higher education counterpart Jonathan Moyo and Mugabe’s nephew Patrick Zhuwao, the empowerment minister.
The group, for as yet unclear reasons, is said to be determined to stop vice president Emmerson Mnangangwa leading the party after Mugabe who turns 92 next month.
Hlongwane, Ndlovu and Matangaidze – all from the Midlands – jointly wrote a letter to Kasukuwere, who is party commissariat chief, claiming they were intimidated and victimized by Mnangagwa allies in the province.
They accused Mnangagwa surrigates – legislators Justice Wadyajena, Owen Ncube and Zanu PF Midlands youth chairperson Edmore Samambawa – of leading the vilification campaign against them.
But the allegations were dismissed by the provincial disciplinary committee with the G40 trio accused of lying and bringing the party into disrepute.
They have now been summoned to appear before the committee individually.
But the ministers rejected the invite and, in turn, appealed to the national disciplinary committee chaired by the reportedly pro-G40 vice president Phelekezela Mphoko and which also includes the First Lady and Kasukuwere.
In the appeal letter seen by NewZimbabwe.com, the trio said if they appear to before the
provincial committee individually, there is no way the process would “be fair, credible and just”.
“It is predictable that the committee will not hand down a fair hearing given the well-documented relationship between (chairman Daniel) Mackenzie Ncube and all the accused except one from Kwekwe,” they wrote.
“(Again) Ncube has not yet formally withdrawn his membership of the Central Committee, thereby creating a situation where a Central Committee member is presiding over disciplinary processes and also already acting as vice chair of the province.”
They also claimed that the disciplinary committee had not heard from any witnesses on the numerous allegations raised in their letter of complaint.
“We also note with concern that we are now being treated as the accused by being summoned to appear before the Midlands provincial disciplinary committee led by Mackenzie Ncube differently and individually when, in fact, we wrote the letter as collective of the trio and co-signed it.”
The letter goes on to say that “it is clear that Mackenzie Ncube-led a committee that was set up specifically to deal their complaints” adding its verdict was predictable given “the fact that there is a well-known and proven relationship between him and the accused”.
“We further state that the issues we raise on our letter are true and we await a day we will avail our evidence and witnesses before a ‘real’ disciplinary committee so justice can be saved.”
Meanwhile, Kasukuwere has since backed the ministers, declaring that the decision of the Midlands committee rejecting the harassment allegations was not final.
“The provincial disciplinary committee can only go as a far as making recommendations to the national disciplinary committee, which also recommends to the politburo, for debate and adoption,” he said.
“The politburo too, sends its findings to the central committee for adoption. So, for people to say that they have been exonerated or not, is very premature.
“It’s the office of the political commissar which sanctioned the hearings and, as such, we will take the provincial disciplinary committee report to the national disciplinary committee and from there, that is when we will know the way forward.”
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