…G40 gives Team Lacoste blow after blow in front of Mugabe
Itai Muzondo
It was blow after blow for embattled Masvingo Minister of State for Provincial Affairs; Shuvai Mahofa, Josaya Hungwe and their suspected Team Lacoste comrades last Saturday as the rival G40 faction took turns to attack them in front of President Robert Mugabe at Triangle Country Club.
Discussions to end ongoing factional blows between the two factions appear to have deadlock after Mugabe announced that a follow up meeting to resolve the factional fights will be held in Harare.
Sources said Tongaat Hullet was the epicentre of the factional fights with both factions trading accusations of abusing resources from the sugar giant to further their own factional ends.
Speaking soon after the five hour closed door meeting with Masvingo MPs and senators, Zanu PF Secretary for Administration, Ignatius Chombo said nothing had been resolved, indicating that another meeting will be held at a later date.
“This was a frank and open meeting. We, however, agreed to continue at some point where resolutions to solve the disputes would be possibly passed,” Chombo said.
He however skirted questions on whether the inter-party conflicts were to do with resources or power.
Insiders who spoke to TellZim News soon after the heated engagement said the two sides sought to gain an upper hand in the Tongaat Hullet affairs, with Mahofa and Hungwe failing to clear the air on their alleged acts of corruption in the low veld.
“Pressure is mounting Lacoste members. They failed to get an upper hand in the meeting as most of their stewards whom they rehearsed in Nemamwa theprevious night in preparation for the meeting were barred from attending. We now wait for the extra time in Harare but currently on ball possession, it is Team Lacoste 20 percent with G40 sitting at 80 percent,” said one source.
The source further disclosed how Chiredzi West MP Darlington Chiwa bluntly attacked Hungwe and Mahofa for alleged corruption by extorting thousands of dollars from Tongaat Hullet.
Chiwa is said to have told Mugabe the two have played a role in the crippling strikes by Tongaat workers last year and then paved the way for their alleged proxy, lawyer Paul Mangwana, to be hired to represent the disgruntled workers and rake in thousands of dollars for himself.
He reportedly revealed that Mangwana made more than US200 000 for the pseudo representation he gave to Tongaat Hullet workers last year.
“Hungwe and Mahofa were also put in an awkward position after (provincial Political Commissar) Jeppy Jaboon made the Pamberi naGrace slogan. They looked foolish in the meeting. Jeppy simply stood and repeatedly chanted the slogan, forcing the two to respond to a slogan they have been resisting all along.
“Jeppy then took the chance to tell Mugabe that he was surprised that Hungwe and Mahofa were now supporting the slogan they had termed ‘illegal’ in the province,” said the source.
Hungwe and Mahofa, the source said, also unsuccessfully tried to persuade the President to bar Tongai Muzenda and Paul Chimedza from the meeting, with a bitter Chimedza later attacking the two for scuttling his efforts to develop his constituency.
“He also shocked the President when he said Hungwe once told him (Chimedza) that if Mugabe doesn’t let go of power, they were ready to install a Karanga onto the throne,” he said.
Most suspected Team Lacoste members including Pupurai Togarepi, Mangwana, Livingstone Chineka, Ailess Baloyi were thrown out of the meeting.
Provincial Administrator; Felix Chikovo and Tongaat Hullet Sydney Mutsambiwa were also barred with Chombo saying the President had come not for a rally but only to meet the MPs
Surprisingly, suspected G40 kingpins; Provincial Chairperson, Amasa Nhenjana, Youth Chairperson; Nobert Ndaarombe and Women’s League Chairperson; Veronica Makonese were allowed in the meeting with the rest of the other chairs including Provincial War Veterans leader Tendeukai Chinooneka being blocked.news
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