FACTIONAL fighting within Zanu PF has taken a spiritual turn, with the party’s secretary for administration, Didymus Mutasa, being accused of undermining a traditional healer, Tenzi Nehoreka, who is referred to as the “national holy spirit”. CHARLES LAITON SENIOR REPORTER
This has angered three war veterans’ groups in Manicaland, who have petitioned President Robert Mugabe, begging that he rein in on Mutasa, who increasingly seems under siege with each passing day.
The ex-fighters’ groups, the National Traditional Inheritance, Kingdom, Chieftainship, Zimbabwe National Liberators’ War Veterans Association and the Governance of Zimbabwe, question Mutasa’s liberation war credentials.
The petition was prompted by the alleged attacks on Nehoreka by Mutasa during the installation of Chief Makoni in Rusape last month.
Mutasa is alleged to have caused the arrest of Nehoreka for fuelling a chieftainship wrangle, although the latter was eventually acquitted by a Rusape magistrate.
“The senior minister surprised the crowd for down-looking (sic) and criticised the national senior holy spirit and spear of the nation Nehoreka during the installation of Chief Makoni.”
Nehoreka accused Mutasa of being used by certain whites despite them having fought blacks during the liberation struggle.
In the petition dated October 1 2014, the former freedom fighters say Mutasa never trained as a fighter, but had instead only paid a visit to Chimoio camp in Mozambique, where he spent much of his time.
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“All the enemy attacks that took place in 1976 to 1977 the physical figure of Didymus Mutasa could not be located,” part of the petition reads.
The freedom fighters attached to their petition a copy of a 1978 radio message sent by the late national hero, Eddison Zvobgo, who was then Zanu deputy secretary for information in which he said: “The Patriotic Front wants to give Zimbabweans the first and last opportunity to withdraw from their criminal collaboration with the Ian Smith regime.
“If they comply with this warning they will be forgiven. If they persist they will be doomed as their principals. This message is being addressed to the following Zimbabweans, criminal Mutasa, who recruits bandits for military training in Iran for (Abel) Muzorewa puppet clique, the bandits he recruits and trains (sic) are known to be terrorising masses in Zimbabwe.”
Mutasa could not be reached for comment yesterday.
