Mutasa brews shocker

Abel Zhakata Senior Reporter
THE Zanu-PF Manicaland provincial executive was stunned on Wednesday morning after the party’s dismissed national secretary for administration, Mr Didymus Mutasa, filed papers at the Nomination Court to contest the Headlands National Assembly by-election on the liberation movement’s ticket.

Acting chairman Dr Samuel Undenge, secretary for administration Cde Kenneth Saruchera, and secretary for legal affairs Cde Misheck Mugadza quickly blocked his move and objected to the nomination.

In the objection to nomination filed by Cde Mugadza, the party disowned Mr Mutasa saying he was long dismissed.

“The Zanu-PF party objects to the submission of nomination papers under the party name and symbol of Zanu-PF by Didymus Noel Mutasa as he was dismissed from the party and therefore ceased to be a member of the party from the date of such expulsion. Whereof it is prayed that his nomination papers be rejected by the Honourable Court (See Section 46 (10) of the Electoral Act Chapter 2:13),” reads the objection.

At the close of the nomination court, Manicaland elections officer Mr Moffat Masabeya subsequently rejected Mr Mutasa’s papers saying he was not being sponsored by the party he indicated in his papers.

Spirited efforts by journalists and the Zanu-PF provincial executive to get information on who had signed Mr Mutasa’s papers authorising him to represent the party were fruitless after Mr Masabeya said he was not at liberty to divulge such information as it was confidential.

Mr Mutasa, through his chief election agent, Sabena Ranganai Chiteme, was the first to file his papers.

In an interview outside the court Dr Undenge said Mr Mutasa was suffering from mental delusion.

“He seems not to know that he was expelled from the party. He is behaving like a mad man. The Nomination Court did the right thing by rejecting his papers because he is not one of us. What we know is that we are going to win that seat resoundingly in the by-election. Those other candidates are just pretenders,” he said.

Cde Saruchera said he was eager to know who authorised Mr Mutasa to file his papers under Zanu-PF.

“We also want to know who signed his papers and where he got the party’s stamp that was used to authenticate his papers. Mutasa was expelled and he can’t stand for Zanu-PF.”

Efforts to get a comment from Mr Mutasa on his disqualification were in vain as his mobile phone was unreachable.

Cde Christopher Chingosho successfully filed his papers to contest the June 10 by-election on a Zanu-PF ticket against Messrs David Mukunda (National Constitution Assembly) and Albert Mukaratirwa (Independent).