Kasukuwere to be spared but demoted

Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front national political commissar, Saviour Kasukuwere, whose political career was on the balance following a massive vote of no confidence in him will be demoted from commissar but will be given a junior post within the politburo to save the party.

The party’s 10 provinces expressed a vote of confidence in Kasukuwere and wanted him to be expelled for planning to oust Mugabe.

A special team headed by Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda went to investigate the allegations against Kasukuwere last week and said it would release its report this week to President Robert Mugabe.

Mugabe has been attending the World Economic Forum summit in Durban, South Africa.

Sources said although most senior people in ZANU-PF wanted Kasukuwere out, he is going to be spared to save he party ahead of the 2018 elections but would be removed from national commissar.

Firing Kasukuwere was going to rock the party as key people like secretary for administration Ignatius Chombo and secretary for science and technology Jonathan Moyo were likely to go with him.

“This is not going to be good for the party ahead of the elections. So he will be spared and will be given another post within the politburo,” a source said.

Chombo was supposed to head the team looking into Kasukuwere’s case but was replaced by Mudenda without any explanation.

Sources said Chombo was removed because he was on Kasukuwere’s side.

Kasukuwere has denied reports that he was creating parallel structures and was planning to oust Mugabe saying those against him were actually after Mugabe and were only using his name.

Sources, however, said Kasukuwere was really the power behind G40 and was just using the First Lady but was eventually going to push her aside.

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