Namhla Ntandwa |Former Vice-President and Zim People First leader, Joice Mujuru, has lost an ally and party founding member, Colonel (Retired) Claudius Makova, amidst speculation that Emmerson Mnangagwa, is out to finish her.
There is no love lost between Mujuru and Mnangagwa as their political battles date back to over a decade ago when President Mugabe favoured her to deputise him, ahead of Mnangagwa who apparently had majority provinces on his side.
For Mnangagwa dealing with Mujuru is unfinished business as he loads every gun at his disposal to shoot at her, furthermore, not making an attempt to conceal his devious political schemes.
Left on her own, Mujuru now has to fight Mnangagwa with bare knuckles, her husband Solomon now late and no longer President Mugabe’s favourite female politician whose largess she enjoyed to no end as a Zanu PF politician.
Mujuru last week made sensational claims that she knew the scheming ruling Zanu PF party was out to destabilise her new outfit which poses the greatest threat to Mugabe, claiming that one of her officials still to be named had been lured with a $90 000 bribe.
“We hear that among our war veterans in the party, someone was given $90 000 so that they keep quiet. Such is the level of Zanu PF infiltration, which has targeted us more than the MDC-T,” said Mujuru as she threw the final dice in campaigning for her Bikita-West candidate.
“They are no longer worried about the MDC-T, but the focus is now on us,” she said referring to Morgan Tsvangirai, who has survived jail and assassination attempts from the ruling Zanu PF party agents.
Several weeks ago Mujuru fired another top ally former Information deputy minister, Bright Matonga, on spying allegations. “Matonga was expelled a few weeks ago after being accused of being a spy for the military and especially for a faction of Zanu PF associated with Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa,” a ZimPF source told journalists.
And now soon after this Mujuru’s revelation of infiltration, close ally Colonel (Retired) Claudius Makova resigned from Zim People First citing the dismal loss in the Bikita-West election to Zanu PF.
Disturbing however, is that before the ink has dried on Makova’s resignation letter, he has made state media headlines, singing praises of President Mugabe, in the Emmerson Mnangagwa controlled state media.
The state media reports that the former provincial co-ordinator has indicated his desire to return to Zanu-PF while lavishing President Mugabe with praises, saying the revolutionary party remains strong under his leadership.
“Nobody wanted to leave Zanu-PF, but we were expelled. There is no way I can go back and bow to these small boys. I will only bow to senior people such as President Mugabe and Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa. I have great respect for President Mugabe, ” Makova is quoted saying.
Speaking to journalists in Harare last week, Rtd Col Makova also opened up on goings-on in ZimPF, including the leadership’s frustration at failing to garner grassroots support for a proposed opposition coalition.
Rtd Col Makova quit his post following ZimPF’s thumping defeat at Zanu-PF’s hands in the January 20 Bikita West National Assembly by-election – the first poll the opposition outfit has participated in since its launch in early 2016.
The Mnangagwa media further claims that the defeat sent senior party officials scampering for cover from the humiliation, with some said to be baying for the blood of their leader, Mujuru.
“I realised that if my party has lost in my own backyard, I cannot expect to win again in my area. It’s time to give others a chance, but I will remain an ordinary member.”
Rtd Col Makova said he was still bitter about his expulsion from Zanu-PF after being linked to Dr Mujuru’s ill-fated attempt to unconstitutionally unseat President Mugabe in both Government and the ruling party.
He said he would, however, “consider the option of returning”.
“It was not a choice to form People First, but there was no other alternative. I am hurt and I do not see myself going back. But if Zanu-PF apologises for what it did, then maybe I will start considering that option.