President Emmerson Mnangagwa recently threatened to fire State Security minister Owen “Mudha” Ncube following his involvement in factional battles currently ravaging ZANU PF Midlands Province.
Ncube has been fighting to wrest the provincial chairmanship from the incumbent, Daniel Mackenzie-Ncube and had the backing of Local Government minister July Moyo.
Moyo considers himself as the province’s political godfather but his claim is rivalled by his cabinet and politburo counterpart Joram Gumbo who also claims the honours.
NewZimbabwe.com reported a politburo source as having said that Mnangagwa summoned Mudha to a meeting where he strongly chastised him for his role in the ongoing factionalism.
Mnangagwa also warned Mudha that unless he renounces his bid for the party provincial chairmanship, he would be left with no option but to fire him from the lucrative ministerial job.
Ncube reportedly chose to keep the ministerial job and bowed out of the race, preferring instead to throw his weight behind another claimant, Edson Chiherenge Chakanyuka. Said the source:
The real reason why Mudha dropped out of the chairmanship’s race is that he was summoned by the president and told in plain terms that if he continues on that path, he would have to be fired.
He was given two options, either to focus on the chairmanship and lose the ministerial position or to renounce his interest in the chair and keep the job.
The president’s concern was that he holds a very demanding official job that cannot be double-crossed with an equally demanding party position. So he has since decided he wants the ministry more.
After that, we were all called in by the president and told to come up with three names who will contest for the chairmanship.
However, the leadership overwhelmingly endorsed Larry Mavima. No other name was submitted, which means Chiherenge was omitted.
His camp though has not stopped campaigning regardless of that and thinks it can brew a shocker.
They may be hopeful, which is okay, but they stand virtually no chance.