Mutasa targets Grace Mugabe

FIRST Lady Grace Mugabe has been thrust into the centre of a legal battle, as axed Zanu PF secretary for administration Didymus Mutasa claims her ascendancy in the party was a source of conflict and division.

FIRST Lady Grace Mugabe has been thrust into the centre of a legal battle, as axed Zanu PF secretary for administration Didymus Mutasa claims her ascendancy in the party was a source of conflict and division.

MOSES MATENGA/ EVERSON MUSHAVA

In no-holds-barred founding affidavits, Mutasa and former Zanu PF spokesman Rugare Gumbo said Grace’s entry into politics was characterised by unprecedented hate, malice disrespect and defamation.

“Mrs Mugabe unleashed hatred, disrespect, malice, slander and defamation which in Zanu PF had never been experienced even from our opponents in the opposition politics,” Mutasa said.

“There was no limit, no elasticity and no boundaries with regards the verbiage and diatribe that came from the First Lady.”

Mutasa said Grace’s actions forced some party members to submit into acting illegally and unconstitutionally.

Gumbo, on the other hand, said the party’s December 2014 congress was held in an atmosphere of threats, intimidation and assaults of some delegates, while Grace’s entry into politics was a source of conflict.

“The entry of Amai Grace Mugabe into the political scene became a serious source of conflict,” he said.

“Most politburo members got to know about her interests in politics when it was announced on TV that Cde Oppah Muchinguri had handed over the leadership of the women’s league to Amai Grace Mugabe at the Mazowe meeting.”

Gumbo said Muchinguri’s relinquishing of the top post was done without consultation with other members of the women’s league.

“During her tour of the provinces, Amai Mugabe left a trail of destruction,” he continued.

“She tore the Vice-President (Joice Mujuru) using crude and foul language.

“The entry of Amai Grace Mugabe into the political scene became a serious source of conflict,”
“The entry of Amai Grace Mugabe into the political scene became a serious source of conflict,”

“Her tour on a helicopter and the publicity given was unprecedented and was clear indication that she had the blessings of her husband.”

The two described Grace’s decision to fight on the side of Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s faction as a “serious source of conflict” as party leaders only learnt of unconstitutional decisions when they were aired on television.

“With the second respondent (Mugabe) advancing in age, the competition and the battle to succeed him continued arresting and affecting our party,” Mutasa said in the affidavit.

“In the run-up to the 2014 presidential election, it was clear that the mood in the party and the general membership was for a decisive victory of the (fired) Vice-President Joice Mujuru.”

Gumbo and Mutasa, in their founding affidavits revealed the drama that used to take place in stormy politburo meetings with the Mujuru and Mnangagwa camps fighting to outdo each other.

In his founding affidavit, where he stated that he was the legitimate secretary for administration in the party, Mutasa described attempts to expel him as “illegal and unlawful”.

Mutasa said attacks on himself and Mujuru were in violation of their rights to human dignity and described the rallies held by Grace, where she publicly denounced Mujuru, as “corrosive and poisoned”.

The two said they took long to file their application as most lawyers in the country were hesitant to take up their case after being threatened by State security agents.

Gumbo said he told Mugabe that the people who really wanted to push him out were the “Gang of Four” comprising Jonathan Moyo, Saviour Kasukuwere, Oppah Muchinguri and Patrick Zhuwao.

Mutasa and Gumbo on Tuesday filed a High Court application seeking nullification of the congress’ resolutions and in their court papers, the beleaguered former party stalwarts cited Zanu PF, Mugabe and spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo as respondents.