Former Zanu PF stalwart, Kudakwashe Bhasikiti, says his expulsion from the ruling party yesterday is a blessing in disguise as the future of Zimbabwe now lies in the dumped activists and not the current leadership of the party.
Bhasikiti says most of his colleagues, who were expelled for allegedly being part of a Zanu PF faction said to be led by ousted former Vice President Joice Mujuru, which allegedly wanted to topple President Robert Mugabe, are not worried about the expulsions.
He is among seven former senior Zanu PF officials, who were dumped by the party yesterday, for having allegedly hatched a plan to oust Mr. Mugabe at the party’s congress last December. Several others have been suspended for between three and five years.
Bhasikiti says they are now preparing to rescue Zimbabweans from the current Zanu PF leadership.
The ousted leaders have dismissed these allegations as unfounded and part of a wider plan by the other group allegedly led by Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa to succeed the 91 year-old president.
The other expelled senior members include include Mashonaland East party stalwarts, Ray Kaukonde and Olivia Muchena, Masvingo political gurus, former Energy Minister Dzikamai Mavhaire, and war veteran Claudius Makova, and David Butau of Mashonaland Central province.
Those that have been suspended for between three and five years by the ruling party, which has been in power for more than 35 years, are former senior state and party officials and cabinet ministers - Munacho Mutezo, Nicholas Goche, Flora Buka, Jaison Machaya, Noah Mangondo, Tendai Savanhu, Amos Midzi, Iris Mabuwa and several others.
Zanu PF politburo member, Munyaradzi Paul Mangwana, says they have expelled what he calls the gammatox group, a reference to those who were said to have attempted to topple President Mugabe.