Speaking at a Zanu-PF Masvingo provincial coordinating committee (PCC) meeting held in the city recently, former Masvingo Urban Member of Parliament (MP) Tongai Matutu and former Chitungwiza Senator James Makore attacked their former leader for pursuing ‘unhelpful politics’.
The gathering was attended by many senior Zanu-PF leaders including politburo member Chris Mutsvangwa and Masvingo provincial chairperson Ezra Chadzamira.
“When (late MDC president Morgan) Tsvangirai was alive, we would discuss and make the constitution together but Chamisa is ignorant and cannot build the country. Zanu-PF is made up of revolutionaries, not missionaries,” charged Matutu in his address to the gathering.
He said he had nothing but praise for Zanu-PF and its leader President Emmerson Mnangagwa whom he said had given him a lifeline.
“We do not pay the people from the opposition to come and join us. Though people mocked us, we remained resolute. I can praise Zanu-PF from sunrise to sundown. We are aware of what we propagate for. We thank the President for welcoming us back to Zanu-PF. Today is my first day at a Zanu-PF meeting. People spread rumours that I was once a CIO, which is wrong,” said Matutu.
In his own remarks, Makore, a war veteran who worked as one of Tsvangirai’s closest aides during the unity government between 2009 and 2013, accused Chamisa of being discriminatory against older members of the party.
“If you don’t want old people, then what do you want? We left MDC because we could not follow the rule of a child who is ignorant and is not capable of leading. We thank you for upholding the party even in our absence. Zanu-PF is an ocean, it will never dry. I stand for my rights and our constitution allows us to make choices and that’s why I joined Zanu-PF without fear of criticism,” said Makore.
Another former party member Dr Willian Zivenge mocked Chamisa’s ice of creating spaghetti roads across the country.
“You dream of spaghetti roads; you are a food lover. The President, on the other hand, encouraged the Pfumvudza programme and it was a success,” said Zivenge.
In his remarks to welcome the former opposition members, Mutsvangwa said they will be treated like other Zanu-PF members.
“Masvingo is the heart of Zanu-PF. We are happy with Matutu and Makore who are back in the party. Welcome back, you are the same as anyone else in the party, says the President. Whenever Masvingo stands, nothing is impossible, I am proud of Masvingo province,” said Mutsvangwa.
