MUGABE RILES MUTASA

Politics
EXPELLED Zanu PF secretary for administration, Didymus Mutasa yesterday cranked up his attacks on the party and President Robert Mugabe, saying the Zanu PF leader was taking the ruling party’s lawlessness to courts by intimidating the judiciary.

EXPELLED Zanu PF secretary for administration, Didymus Mutasa yesterday cranked up his attacks on the party and President Robert Mugabe, saying the Zanu PF leader was taking the ruling party’s lawlessness to courts by intimidating the judiciary.

SILAS NKALA STAFF REPORTER

Mutasa was particularly angered by Mugabe’s claims that he and Rugare Gumbo, also expelled from the party, should not have taken their case to the courts, but should rather have followed Zanu PF’s disciplinary processes.

“This (disciplinary committee) has never functioned as expressed in the party constitution,” he said.

“So it becomes a waste of time to refer any dispute to them.”

A disciplinary committee was set up to hear Mutasa’s case, but the former Headlands legislator was axed prior to appearing before it, despite saying he was ready to answer to it if summoned.

Mutasa accused Mugabe of being duplicitous, arguing that if the disciplinary committee was functional, then he, Gumbo and former war veterans leader Jabulani Sibanda would have appeared before it before being expelled.

“I hope the Chief Justice (Geoffrey Chidyausiku) will firmly request the president not to interfere with the judiciary and to observe people’s rights.”
“I hope the Chief Justice (Geoffrey Chidyausiku) will firmly request the president not to interfere with the judiciary and to observe people’s rights.”

“He (Mugabe) does not practice what he preaches,” he said.

“Why did Jabulani Sibanda, Gumbo and myself not appear before these committees?”

Mutasa said he had no choice but approach the courts after it became apparent that no one in the party was ready to entertain them.

“We reported to the courts because there is no rule of law and order in Zanu PF,” he said.

“Hear how judges are being intimidated and the supreme law of the country (the Constitution) is thrown out of the window by the president, who swore to observe the laws of this country.

“I hope the Chief Justice (Geoffrey Chidyausiku) will firmly request the president not to interfere with the judiciary and to observe people’s rights.”

Mutasa was due to appear before a disciplinary committee that included his arch nemesis, First Lady Grace, although he was expelled before attending any hearing.

Gumbo and Sibanda were summarily expelled, as a purge of perceived allies of expelled Vice-President Joice Mujuru gathered momentum.

Mutasa has since approached the courts seeking the nullification of last year’s congress, a development that has angered Mugabe, who said the former legislator should have approached the party’s central committee with his grievances.