Staff ReporterHarare – The gloves are off as the plot to oust the ruling Zanu-PF party’s Political Commissar, Local Government Minister Saviour Kasukuwere intensifies, say reports.
According to NewsDay, a no-holds-barred public ‘cat-fight’ between Kasukuwere and President Robert Mugabe’s nephew, Philip Chiyangwa, has ensued after the minister took subtle pot-shots at his ex-friend.
In a statement this week, Kasukuwere claimed that he and his boss, President Mugabe, would not be removed the Issa Hayatou way, a clear reference to Chiyangwa’s involvement in ousting the long-time head of the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
Kasukuwere inferred that the attacks on him were just a cover for ousting the southern African country’s long-time head of state, Mugabe.
He added that the move was being championed by unscrupulous characters, who were pursuing narrow objectives “with the support of greedy land barons by peddling defamatory lies on my conduct in the party and government”.
The Zimbabwe Football Association (Zifa) boss, however, did not take kindly to the attacks, responding with allegations of his own.
Chiyangwa described the embattled Kasukuwere as the most corrupt minister in his uncle’s administration.
He further called for the sacking of the embattled minister from the ruling party, adding that he [Kasukuwere] had demanded a $5-million bribe from him to obtain a piece of land.
“He is a bribe taker. I can say he is one of the biggest corrupt ministers in the Mugabe government and we cannot go with him to the next election (sic). Every ministry that he has been [in] he will be taking bribes, just to provide an ordinary facilitation service he wants money,” Chiyangwa was quoted as saying.
Last month, It was reported that close to 1 500 placard-carrying demonstrators marched in Bindura, Mashonaland Central Province’s provincial capital, demanding that Mugabe wield the axe on Kasukuwere.
Some leaders of the protest accused Kasukuwere of harbouring presidential ambitions and plotting behind Mugabe’s back with a view to take over power from him.
One of the provincial leaders, John Ngwenya, told the protesters who were carrying a coffin with Kasukuwere’s pictures stuck on it and saying that the local government minister had overstayed his welcome as a cabinet minister and senior party official.
Another provincial leader, Chantelle Mbereko, was quoted saying that Kasukuwere had grabbed a number of unnamed mines and parceled out residential stands to his relatives despite the stands having been provided for Zanu PF youths.
Meanwhile an unanimous votes of no confidence against Kasukuwere as a political commissar has been passed by almost all of the southern African country’s provinces.
The other provinces have joined Mashonaland central, Harare, Bulawayo, Midlands, Masvingo, Mashonaland West and Mashonaland East in calling for the minister to be ousted.
