Khaya Moyo blasts Mutasa

Farirai Machivenyika  Harare Bureau
ZANU-PF’S former secretary for administration Cde Didymus Mutasa’s claims that the party’s December congress was not properly constituted are “absurd” and must be treated with contempt, the party’s spokesperson Cde Simon Khaya Moyo (pictured top) said yesterday.

Cde Khaya Moyo said the congress, attended by some 12,000 delegates, and the constitutional amendments it made were done above board and Cde Mutasa’s claims to the contrary were “ridiculous in the extreme”.

“Cde Mutasa’s remarks are extremely absurd in the circumstances,” Cde Khaya Moyo said in a statement, days after Cde Mutasa placed adverts in newspapers insisting that he was still the party’s secretary for administration.

“He needs to appreciate and come to terms that he is no longer the Zanu-PF secretary for Administration. His feeble attempt to dismiss a constitutionally convened congress is ridiculous in the extreme and needs to be, as we hereby do, dismissed with the contempt it deserves.

“Zanu-PF will not be derailed from its mission to accelerate the implementation of Zim-Asset for the development and growth of our economy and will ensure that every necessary effort is channelled in that direction.”

Cde Khaya Moyo said it was disturbing that Cde Mutasa sought to dismiss the congress and its outcome when he was a central figure in the preparations.

“In terms of the constitution, the party’s secretary for administration is at the centre of convening congress,” he said.

“Our last congress was no exception in terms of compliance with this constitutional provision. Accordingly, it is deeply worrying that our former secretary for administration has sought to issue disparaging remarks regarding our last congress when he was, in keeping with our party constitution, the one responsible for the convening of that congress and inviting delegates to the same congress.

“Cde Mutasa was involved at every stage of this congress and only failed to attend the actual congress on health grounds. His claim that the congress and the amendments to the party constitution were done unprocedurally is, therefore, misplaced.”

Cde Khaya Moyo added that the relevant party organs were involved in amending the constitution as required.

“The amendments to the party constitution were completely procedural as they were discussed by the Politburo, approved by the Central Committee and endorsed by congress,” he went on.

“President Mugabe’s appointments at the congress were, therefore, legal, constitutional and above board as they emanated from our amended constitution.”

Zanu-PF amended its constitution at the congress and gave President Mugabe powers to appoint his deputies and a leaner Politburo to ensure that the party has one centre of power.

The amendments were made following concerns that former Vice President Joice Mujuru and what President Mugabe described as a “treacherous cabal” were pursuing factional interests by creating a rival centre of power. It was further claimed that they sought to assassinate or clandestinely remove President Mugabe from office.

Following their failure to get into the Central Committee, Mujuru’s backers have sought to disparage the congress and its outcomes, with Cde Mutasa granting interviews and making statements exclusively to the private media in what analysts have said is a vain attempt to reverse the decisions made at the event.

Cde Mutasa has also threatened to challenge the congress in court, but legal experts have said that he has very little chance, if any, to succeed with his challenge.