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Zanu-PF aptly chose its theme for the 6th National People’s Conference last month: “Accelerated Implementation of Zim-Asset”. That theme recognised the time lag that has elapsed since the July 31, 2013 harmonised elections and implementation of the ruling party’s winning programme. It is time to deliver and that calls for cadres who are committed to the cause of the party and appreciate what needs to be done beyond occupying certain Government or party positions which they believe they are entitled to by virtue of their liberation war credentials.
Those liberation war credentials instilled in the cadres a high level of personal discipline which has made the revolutionary party different from other fly-by-night movements.
Just before congress, there was an internal cleansing process in the party to be rid of those people seen to be failing the test.
Former Vice President Dr Joice Mujuru was one of the major casualties along with former party spokesman Rugare Gumbo, war veterans leader Jabulani Sibanda and secretary for Administration Cde Didymus Mutasa.
Besides Sibanda and Gumbo, none of those members who failed to make it into the Central Committee or Politburo has been fired from the party. They have been allowed to remain ordinary members, after all a political party is a voluntary association albeit with the usual rules and regulations to guide the behaviour of members.
It is, however, emerging that there are some party members like Cde Mutasa, who have taken badly their loss of positions and consequently influence in the party. Rather than wait for internal processes to take their course while allowing the party to implement its economic programmes for the good of the nation, they have opted to become spoilers.
Cde Mutasa was accused of grave charges of plotting the ouster of a sitting head of State and Government. He is one the senior members of the party accused of fanning factionalism to push for Dr Mujuru to become the next president. It was these preoccupations which led to shoddy preparations for the Youths and Women’s congresses in August last year.
President Mugabe made clear then that he was disappointed by the level of incompetence displayed by the Secretary for Administration. He warned that there would be consequences, come congress in December. In short, people like Cde Mutasa were warned way before congress to prepare for shocks.
Cde Mutasa went on to lose elections in Makoni. Perhaps he still expected the President to accommodate him as a favour considering his liberation war credentials. It did not happen. President Mugabe wants people who can implement party programmes, and that starts with party administration, which Cde Mutasa failed to do.
And instead of behaving like a disciplined cadre, Cde Mutasa has distinguished himself by behaving like a rebel who can challenge the whole party. He wants all congress resolutions reversed because he did not get the positions he thought he was entitled to. He is even inviting foreigners in the form of sadc and the African Union to involve themselves in internal party affairs. His behaviour makes quislings like Morgan Tsvangirai look like saints by comparison.
It is clear that he did not deserve of the President’s sympathy. He simply cannot be trusted any more. The closer to the President in the party and Government, the more dangerous he is because that gives him access to a lot of State secrets.
The least we can say is that we are very disappointed. We expected better from senior members of the party like Cde Mutasa. But he is proving that expectation was very misplaced. He is not interested in the success of Zanu-PF as a party but his own.
Like Tsvangirai under the Inclusive Government, Cde Mutasa wants to divert Government’s attention from policy implementation to having Zimbabwe as an agenda item at regional and continental forums when there is so much which needs to be done at home.
Luckily his behaviour has not gone unnoticed by cadres in the provinces. Now they want him expelled for gross indiscipline. Should the party decide to listen to those calls, Cde Mutasa will only have himself to blame. He made his bed, let him lie on it.
Online Reporter