THE Zanu PF politburo will today sit in a potentially explosive meeting, two days after members of the party’s youth league accused some of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s allies of corruption and for being responsible for part of the economic crisis facing the country.

BY BLESSED MHLANGA

Zanu PF youth league deputy secretary, Lewis Matutu and political commissar, Godfrey Tsenengamu on Monday held a Press conference at the Media Centre where they alleged Mnangagwa’s ally and fuel mogul, Kuda Tagwireyi, among others, were allegedly the faces of corruption in the country.

Sources said Matutu was prepared to defend himself over the comments.

Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe (Gmaz) chairperson, Tafadzwa Musarara, who was also yesterday alleged to be corrupt, said the statements by Matutu and Tsenengamu were false, malicious and defamatory.

Musarara said his company or himself have never participated in the maize meal or grain subsidy initiative. “It is common cause that the country is currently experiencing a shortage of maize induced by drought. I am working, through a Gmaz private sector initiative, to augment government efforts in the importation of grain,” he said.

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“Contrary to suggestions that I am responsible for the shortage of maize meal, I am actually working to ensure that the current shortages are addressed.”

Following the shock name-dropping by Matutu and Tsenengamu, there are reports that factions were emerging in Zanu PF.

Insiders alleged party chairperson Oppah Muchinguri, backed by some politburo members were looking to push out the military component in the party and leave Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga exposed.

Posters were doing the rounds on Zanu PF social media groups, insinuating that cutting off Tagwirei from government tenders and governing inner circles would cripple Chiwenga’s power bid.

In court papers, Chiwenga’s estranged wife Marry said the Vice-President harboured presidential ambitions.

Matutu and Tsenengamu, however, distanced themselves from the factions saying their project was not sponsored.

Matutu, however, refused to discuss politburo issues ahead of the meeting saying the naming and shaming had been done outside the party’s jurisdiction.

“I don’t discuss politburo meetings outside where they are not supposed to be discussed, we will answer any questions if raised in the meeting,” he said.

Tsenengamu said he was aware of people within the party who were trying to use them to push an agenda to set out Chiwenga against Mnangagwa.

“We have seen the attempt to build factions so that we are distracted from the bread and butter issues which is basically corruption. That won’t work. This person has funded G40, has funded Gamatox, he will get into bed with anyone who has power, we are aware of that and hence not moved,” Tsenengamu said.

Zanu PF secretary of administration Obert Mpofu said the naming and shaming was not an agenda item because the two did not issue the statement on behalf of the party.

“We are not aware of the factions that you are talking about and from the information that I have, they addressed the Press conference in their individual capacities and did not speak for the party. The party is not part of that and it’s not part of this,” he said.