A campaign of political persecution is being waged against Zanu-PF politicians aligned to Rural Housing and Social Amenities Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa, the Mail & Guardian has learnt. The current tension, which has its genesis in the power struggle over President Robert Mugabe’s successor, has triggered speculation about a split in the 42-year-old party.
In the latest incident last week, the faction, with its tentacles in all state security organs, dispatched intelligence agents, police and the army to seize irrigation equipment, tractors and ploughs from farms belonging to Zanu-PF Midlands women’s league chairperson Dr Elizabeth Xaba, Midlands provincial chairperson Jason Machaya and senior provincial executive member Tommy Moyo.
”It’s an attempt to demoralise the Midlands leadership and emasculate the remaining power points aligned to Mnangagwa. They are monitoring the activities of all Midlands politicians,” sources said. Those under surveillance include former energy minister July Moyo and Zanu-PF director of administration Frederick Shava.
The troika, who appointed parliamentary committee chairpersons after the March elections — Speaker of Parliament John Nkomo and Vice Presidents Joseph Msika and Joyce Mujuru — did not nominate anyone from the embattled Mnangagwa camp. There is growing resentment that all parliamentarians, bar two, from Mashonaland East — the home province of retired general Solomon Mujuru — have cracked ministerial or deputy ministerial posts.
Insiders have described the disenchantment among the party rank and file as ”serious” and have warned of a ”direct threat” to Mugabe’s leadership.
”Differences are growing wider and taking shape at central committee and politburo level and within every parliamentary caucus meeting.”
Sources told the M&G that at the June 22 party caucus meeting, MP for Bikita, Claudius Makova, demanded to know ”why the government was demolishing people’s homes instead of improving on what was existing”.
Former deputy minister, Chief Fortune Charumbira, complained about the information flow. ”There is a dearth of information. Why are we not getting the information that we need? Where is the Ministry of Information to furnish us with accurate information on who is doing what, when and why?”
And former minister of agriculture, Kumbirai Kangai, expressed ”shock” at the way in which operation Murambatsvina was conducted. ”We can’t be doing this to our own people … Now you want to come back to us to use us as fire fighters,” he reportedly said.
Leader of the House Patrick Chinamasa’s response was terse: ”President Robert Mugabe had already made up his mind. Zanu-PF MPs have no option except to support the operation.”
Deputy Information Minister Bright Matonga said he had become the ”de facto editor” of the state-run Herald newspaper. ”I’m always there [at the Herald] on a daily basis. I will ensure all the relevant information is disseminated promptly to you all.” In his justification Deputy Minister of Health Edwin Muguti stressed that ”an outbreak of disease was imminent in overcrowded areas”. But sources in the meeting conveyed to the M&G that their views were dismissed as ”bootlicking”.
The rebellious MPs are also said to have indicated that they would support an opposition motion condemning the operation, but backed off after a stern warning that it would be tantamount to a ”coup”, since Mugabe had already defended the operation in public.
The restive MPs were at it again at the July 13 caucus meeting, this time training their guns on Energy and Power Development Minister, retired army general Mike Nyambuya, over the fuel crisis. Nyambuya’s explanation that the fuel crisis was ”exacerbated by a rise in international fuel prices and foreign currency shortages” drew sharp criticism: ”We don’t want to know how the problems surfaced, but solutions.”
At this it is said the exasperated minister ”shook his head, stood up and walked out”.