Sybeth Musengezi, who has filed a High Court application seeking the removal of President Emmerson Mnangagwa from the position of Zanu PF secretary, says he is receiving death threats amid worsening factionalism in the ruling party.
In an interview with VOA Zimbabwe Service, Musengezi dismissed presidential spokesperson George Charamba's remarks that he is not a Zanu PF member saying, "I joined Zanu PF at a very tender age and I'm still in the party."
He claimed that some suspected Zanu PF members are threatening to harm him.
“In any society there are some overzealous people. Some of the comrades have been trying to please their masters. They have been sending threats (messages) and some have been calling threatening but I don’t see why anyone would want to harm me because this is jus a court application. If they have anything against it, they should just file their opposing papers instead of calling and harassing me.”
In a tweet with Musengezi’s photo, presidential spokesperson George Charamba, using the Twitter handle, Jamwanda, said, “Face yakatai kuita yeZanu PF??? Ityai Mwari imi!!!! (This can’t be the face of a Zanu PF member?? Fear God!!!!)”
Reacting to these remarks, Musengezi said Charamba is not a spokesperson of the party and therefore he should stop talking about Zanu PF matters.
“He is a crazy man. Who listens to Charamba? He doesn’t act like a presidential spokesperson. This is a party matter, it’s not a government issue. I have been a member of Zanu PF since I was in Form Three and I have got evidence to support that. I have got my current membership card, I have got my membership card before the change in leadership. So, for a person like Charamba to come out to say I’m not a party member, it he doesn’t know me that does not mean that I’m not a party member. And we don’t work with Charamba in Zanu PF because he is only a spokesperson of the president regarding government matters, not party matters. When it comes to party matters we have our own spokesperson.”
Musengezi filed a court order seeking the nullification of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s leadership of Zanu PF, saying his elevation was illegal as the Central Committee that made the decision to remove the late former President Robert Mugabe from the post of party secretary was not properly convened.
Mnangagwa and other respondents are expected to file opposing affidavits in the next 10 days.
Job Sikhala, vice chairperson of the opposition MDC Alliance, said in a tweet, “This young man has caused shockwaves in his party ZANU PF. He wants his party to follow the proper procedures in the assumption of office by his leaders. He clearly articulates in his founding Affidavit how power was unconstitutionally usurped in his party. Fight 4 justice!!!
Charamba shot back saying, “Poor propagandists. Baldly they own their own because of acute anxiety to press home a desperate message!!!!!”