Norton MP Temba Mliswa (Independent) has described Zanu PF party spokesperson Chris Mutsvangwa as “politically immature” after he criticised his recent private meeting with former Chivi South MP Killer Zivhu and exiled former Cabinet minister Saviour Kasukuwere in South Africa.
In a statement on Monday, Mutsvangwa criticised Kasukuwere after he said ZANU PF should be saved from President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s misrule. He later described Mliswa as “a lost soul rapidly losing burnish”. Mutsvangwa said:
One of them is in limbo as a garrulous cantankerous political independent — a lost soul rapidly losing burnish. He now desperately clutches onto the coattails of a sister (Mashonaland West Provincial Affairs minister Mary Mliswa-Chikoka), who prefers to ride onto the fortunes of a mainstream ZANU PF party and its tried and tested leader, Cde ED Mnangagwa.
Mliswa who did not stomach the attack immediately took to Twitter and responded to Mutsvangwa’s remarks. He said:
Mutsvangwa’s statement is a manifestation of his patriarchal, garrulous and vindictive political attitude which provide a basis for his poor career as a politician. Mutsvangwa was G40 together with Kasukuwere until he was used and expelled. That’s his source of anger.
He was part of G40 when it teamed up with Lacoste and expelled a faction accused of supporting Mai (Joyce) Mujuru, Gamatox. I was part of the victims. He was ambitious and thought he would be VP after that, but his allies booted him out. He has harboured that anger since then.
Mliswa said Mutsvangwa’s mention of Mary Chikoka in his attacks shows his patriarchal character and the inherent abuse of women in ZANU PF. He added:
Hon Chikoka is independent of me and has nothing to do with my own political actions. That Mutsvangwa attacks an innocent woman is deplorable.
Mliswa said he met Kasukuwere as part of efforts to get the real story behind their expulsion from the ruling party.
The Norton MP said he will not be intimidated like Ray Kaukonde and others who are afraid to speak on why they were booted out of the ruling party.
Mutsvangwa and Mliswa have in the past clashed over the Norton constituency.
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