December 17 - 24, 2014

Fired Zanu PF officials appeal to SADC

Independent Media

Daily News, December 18, 2014

“It’s not over, says Mutasa”, by Mugove Tafirenyika and Fungi Kwaramba

• Didymus Mutasa, former Zanu PF secretary for administration, says he and others who were recently ousted from power as a result of various accusations, were unjustly fired. The accusations primarily revolved around an alleged plot to overthrow or assassinate Robert Mugabe.
  
• Mutasa also appealed to the SADC (Southern African Development Community) to intervene in Zimbabwe’s deepening political crisis, calling the Zanu PF congress a ‘farce’.
• He also demanded on behalf of himself and others expelled from the Zanu PF political apparatus that the principle of ‘one man, one vote’ be restored to the Zanu PF constitution. The principle was extinguished during the Zanu PF party congress in December.
  

Southern Eye, December 20, 2014

“Mujuru allies hit back”, by Silas Nkala and Nqobani Ndlovu

• Vice President Mujuru’s camp has written a letter to the SADC’s leaders asking them to ‘intervene following their inglorious booting out from senior positions, in what is increasingly looking like a long drawn out and acrimonious fight.’
  
• Former secretary for administration Didymus Mutasa hoped the appeal to the SADC would have an effect despite the fact that Robert Mugabe currently chairs the regional group.
  
• Mutasa also denied that he would be seeking asylum in South Africa as some sources have alleged.
  

State-owned Media

The Herald, December 19, 2014

“Mutasa implicates Mujuru”

• The Herald claims that fired Zanu PF politician, Didymus Mutasa, has implicated former Vice President Joice Mujuru in a plot to ‘subvert the authority of, and depose President Mugabe.”
  
• The Herald has indicated that it believes that Mutasa speaks for the now purged Mujuru faction of the Zanu PF.
  
• The Herald makes these claims based on a letter released to the SADC in which Mutasa claims that he and others had worked too hard in the past to be expelled from the Zanu PF.
  
• Mutasa also claimed that he and his group were unfairly expelled based on dubious allegations. He also claimed that recent changes to the Zanu PF constitution violate the supreme law of the republic of Zimbabwe; it gives too much power to Robert Mugabe and removes important aspects of the democratic process.

Tribalism creates new friction within Zane PF

Independent Media

Daily News, December 19, 2014

“Tribalism rocks warring Zanu PF”, by Fungi Kwaramba

• Daily News alleges that tribalism and regionalism may further strain the internal Zanu PF situation. The once dominant Zezeru group felt overlooked by Mugabe (who is in fact a Zezeru) after the recent purging of party officials.
  
• Members of the Zezeru and Manyika tribes within the Zanu PF have allegedly told the Daily News that they feel they have lost favour to the Karanga and Ndebele tribes.
  
• The Manyikas feel that they deserve better than they have received from Robert Mugabe as they believe that as a tribe, they bore the brunt of the difficulties in the liberation struggle.
  
• An unnamed party member from Mashonaland claimed that “the country has now clearly gone to the Karangas and Ndebeles.”
  

*State-owned media did not comment on this story.

Mnangagwa begins consolidating power

Independent Media

Zimbabwe Independent, December 19, 2014

“Mnangagwa rapidly consolidates power”, by Elias Mambo

• Newly appointed Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa who holds five key government positions is consolidating power to secure his succession to the post of President, claims the Zimbabwe Independent.
  
• Mnangagwa holds the positions of Vice President, Zanu PF rotating chairperson, Justice Minister, ministerial-level intelligence chief and leader of Government Business in the National Assembly.
  
• No individual member has ever held so many portfolios in the Zanu PF government.
  
• Mnangagwa is acting president until Robert Mugabe returns to his duties on January 15; he is currently out of the country. This time will allow for Mnangagwa to assert his authority.
  

*State-owned media did not comment on this story.

Seven more ministers fired

State-owned Media

The Herald, December 22, 2014

“Seven more ministers fired”

• Robert Mugabe has fired seven more ministers as a result of ‘conduct and performance below the expected standard.’ Since the internal Zanu PF purge began the total number of ministers who have lost their position has reached 16.
  
• Those fired include Flora Buka (Minister of State for Presidential Affairs), Sylvester Nguni (Minister of State in the Vice President’s Office), Paul Chimedza (Deputy Minister of Health and Child Care), Tongai Muzenda (Deputy Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Services), Tendai Savanhu (Deputy Minister of Lands and Rural Resettlement), Petronella Kagonye (Deputy Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development) and Fortune Chasi (Deputy Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs).
  
• The seven ministers are under investigation along with the other ministers fired for their involvement in a plot to overthrow Robert Mugabe.
  

*Independent media did not cover this story in an in-depth manner