Self exiled former public service minister and late President Robert Mugabe’s nephew Patrick Zhuwao has vowed never to rejoin the ruling ZANU-PF accusing it of dancing to the military tune.
Zhuwao made the remarks in an open letter addressed to South Africa’s African National Congress (ANC) Secretary-General Ace Magashule.
“I write to categorically state and place on record that I do not wish nor intend to re-join ZANU PF. I have taken the rather unusual move to write this open letter in light of public statements made by ZANU PF’s Patrick Chinamasa on Monday 21” September 2020.
“Chinamasa claimed that you told ZANU PF’s Obert Mpofu that I, together with Cdes Saviour Kasukuwere and Dr Walter Mzembi, requested the ANC to intercede on our behalf to facilitate our re-joining ZANU PF. It is so wrong to even imagine that I would be so foolish as to wish to re-join ZANU PF, which has lost all semblance of being a liberation movement and which has placed stability in the region at risk,” said Zhuwao.
He added that the military is using ZANU PF as cover for its involvement in civilian politics making it unrealistic for him to return to the movement.
“The military continues to use ZANU PF as cover for its involvement in civilian politics. It is therefore totally untenable for any right-thinking person to ever want to re-join ZANU PF and continue to be used as, according to General Chiwenga’s lexicon, mbato, the blacksmith’s glove which is used to handle hot metal,” wrote Zhuwao.
Zhuwao was a member of the G-40 cabala which lost power to Lacoste faction during the November 2017 coup.
