Why Mutsvangwa got fired: Former Cabinet Minister bares all
A former Cabinet Minister during late President Mugabe’s reign has spilled the beans on the reason(s) why Minister of Veterans of the Liberation Struggle Affairs was fired.
On Sunday afternoon the Deputy Chief Secretary-Presidential Communications, George Charamba, announced in a statement that Mutsvangwa was no longer the War Vets minister and no reasons were given.
Charamba also announced the appointment of three deputy ministers, Omphile Marupi (Deputy Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services), Sheillah Chikomo (Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade) and Benjamin Kabikira (Deputy Minister of Local Government and Public Works).
So why has Mutsvangwa been fired?
Two former cabinet ministers, Walter Mzembi who was Foreign Affairs Minister and Saviour Kasukuwere (Local Government, Youth and Indigenisation) have given their different reasons why Mutsvangwa was sacked.
Mzembi took to X (formerly Twitter) and wrote: “Mutsvangwa supporters are trying to push a narrative that he was fired for resisting ED’s Third Term agenda, where has he been active on that, where, when & how?
“It will not be easy this time round to fool and mobilise Public and Opposition support for and against any Zanu PF Faction or dissenting leader after the Chinamasa up your statement 6 years ago.
“Once beaten twice shy! Pedzeranai ikoko ….” Mzembi wrote.
He added:
So many theories are being thrown around as to what may have led to Cde Chris Mutsvangwa’s abrupt dismissal by @edmnangagwa President Mnangagwa. I proffer my own based on what led to his dismissal by Mugabe in 2016. It’s simply that Chris is ungovernable and does not submit to the authority of anyone let alone the collectivity of Cabinet and the President . He is an all knowing man of many words who does not know when to mute himself. On several occasions inside Cabinet in 2016 , he would take on Mugabe to an embarrassing point where @edmnangagwa himself then Vice President would be the only one able to silence him with the strongest rebuke and I quote his bellow ; ” Chris , Chris I said shut up , shut up Chris, i am your Commander Chris I order you to shut up! ” At this point Chris would pack his Cabinet file and leave in a huff ! Mugabe believed in the superiority of ideas and would allow exhaustive debate on any item, but our brother Chris knowing it all , would roughshod over everyone at which point Mugabe would come in to exercise his authority as Chairman to restore order & decorum and the Minister of War Veterans would refuse to recognise that authority. Disagreements were mainly around the agency he seemed to carry over Chinese Investments which would often blind his judgement. Our Cabinet team had strong characters who could withstand and fight back , I wonder though whether the current pedigree of Ministers can withstand his bullish behaviour without seeking the protection of Mnangagwa , which may be the case here . Mnangagwa himself left him out of his Cabinet line up in 2018 because he was minding this disharmony he would bring in his new team. He instead appointed him Special Advisor but even this would not cut . It was a gamble from the very beginning bringing him back into Cabinet . Exploiting his parallel authority of @ZANUPF_Official Party Spokesman his last Press Conference last week was an intrusion into other Ministerial mandates and may have actually became his proverbial Waterloo. Going further to declare his ambition in his soliloquy he sealed his fate on that day ! With his highly opinionated acerbic style of delivery clearly misrepresenting the collective he has been responsible for even how some of us have not found each other with our former Party . No wonder across the board his dismissal has been popularly received and secretly celebrated inside Zanu PF ranks and Government . I hope at personal level he has time for reflection on many things before his next move . He still is Party Spokesman@ZANUPF_Official and may keep it but clearly many are watching whether he will continue weaponising it against perceived and imagined enemies . Zanu PF isinjonjo .. Blessed Sunday
Kasukuwere also took to X and wrote; “He clashed with the blue eyed (neophyte) running the Ministry of Information. He wrote to ED and complained that (Information) Minister (Jenfan) Muswere knew nothing about the party policy and was just a relative in the wrong position.
“ED got offended and fired him on a weekend. Chris does not hold back,” Kasukuwere wrote.
Any other background information?
Last year, the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA) members removed Mutsvangwa from his position as the chairman of the organisation.
The members cited “lack of professionalism, no functioning systems in place, undue interference, lack of accountability and no clear programmes to embark on during the life of the sitting committee,” as reasons behind his ouster.
