Disgraced Mutasa Admits Brutality In Court Application

The former presidential affairs minister was feared across the country and particularly in his Manicaland home province where he was known as “the godfather”.

Now scrambling to reclaim lost glory, Mutasa pours his heart and soul out to all and sundry in court papers accompanying his application seeking to overturn the Zanu PF 6th congress held in December last year.

The ex-Speaker of Parliament and minister in different ministries including state security where he was in-charge of the dreaded Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO), chronicled his history in the party and government, transcending no less than 50 years.

“I thus served as a brutal loyal member of the second respondent,” said Mutasa apparently admitting for the first time that he used brute force in his engagements as both a government and party official.

“I have been loyal to the party, to the national liberation and indeed to the person of the second respondent himself.”

Mutasa, an ally of axed vice president Joice Mujuru, was accused of ordering the violent of putdowns of Zanu PF’s political rivals but has steadfastly denied sanctioning any killings.

In the court application, he reveals his association with Mugabe which he describes as “very close”, adding he remains in a state of shock over the events of the last few months that resulted in his expulsion.

“I have been extremely close to (Mugabe) perhaps closer than any other senior member of the party.

“Thus the events of the last eight months have come as a shock to myself, my family and those that exercise their right to freedom of association and share the founding values and principles of the First Respondent and indeed the liberation struggle,” Mutasa said.

He accused Oppah Muchinguri of flouting party regulations in her invitation to First Lady Grace Mugabe to take charge of the Women’s League.

Grace’s whirlwind tour of the provinces, Mutasa said, created a “siege atmosphere in Zanu PF” amid accusation that he, Mujuru and other leaders had sought to assassinate Mugabe.

“All these allegations were baseless but the net result was that an atmosphere of fear, intimidation, duress and hatred was created in the party long before congress.

“The siege atmosphere then triggered the purging, through votes of no confidence of all provincial chairpersons and other members deemed to be allies on vice president Mujuru,” he said.

Mujuru and most of her lieutenants were fired from government for allegedly plotting to oust Mugabe ahead of the Zanu PF congress last year.