HARARE — Zimbabwe’s ruling party says some of its members are operating clandestinely for a Zanu PF faction known as Generation 40 (G40) in an effort to cause instability in the southern Africa nation, more than two years after former president Robert Mugabe was toppled in a defacto military coup targeting the group.
According to the state-controlled Herald newspaper, the G40 members are conducting meetings at night in an effort to destabilize President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government.
The newspaper quoted the party’s Mashonaland West provincial chairperson, Ziyambi Ziyambi, as saying they will expel any Zanu PF member aligned to the faction.
“… While our desire is to ensure that we maintain our support base and recruit more, we can’t allow forces that will destroy the party to persist.”
Ziyambi threatened to publicize the names of Zanu PF members backing Generation 40, which is believed to have backed former State Security Minister Sydney Sekeramayi to succeed Mugabe, who was toppled in 2017 resulting in Mnangagwa becoming the country’s second president since the country attained independence from British rule in 1980.
Former First Lady Grace Mugabe allegedly belonged to G40 and supported Sekeramai, who was handpicked by her late husband as his successor.
Most G40 members, who included former Higher Education Minister Jonathan Moyo, former Zanu PF secretary for administration Saviour Kasukuwere, former Youth Minister Patrick Zhuwao, and thousands of other Zanu PF activists, fled Zimbabwe when security forces seized power and toppled Mugabe.
Some people belonging to various political parties and civic society organizations have come together under the banner of #TysonWabantu Movement, which is aiming at campaigning for Kasukure in the next presidential election.
A spokesperson for #TysonWabantu Movement, Ntokozo Msipha could not be drawn to comment on the ruling party’s threats to take tough measures against G40 members.
In a recent interview, Msipha said millions of people are supporting Kasukuwere, who he said, may bring the much-needed social, political and economic transformation in Zimbabwe. – VOA
