For more than an hour, Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport was was a hive of activity from the more than a dozen of journalists and scores of youths from Zanu PF and the National Patriotic Front (NPF) following the arrival of former ruling party National Commissar, Savior Kasukuwere back into the country.
It was like that Tom Hanks movie The Terminal, about a stateless man stuck in New York’s JFK airport.
Or like that other Tom Hanks movie, Catch Me If You Can. The overtones of Waiting for Godot, about expecting the arrival of a man who never arrives, were, perhaps, too obvious.
However, in this case, the man arrived.
As soon as he arrived, journalists engaged in an intricate game of cat-and-mouse with journalists jostling for that one exclusive picture.
Bopela’s Mercedes Benz whisked Kasukuwere away from Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport.
The target, Savior Kasukuwere, the former government minister who has been in a self imposed exile since November 2017, when the military took over from former president Robert Mugabe and “handed”power to his former deputy, Emmerson Mnangagwa.
As he walked out of the airport building towards the waiting car, a brave journalist by his side was trying to get a quote from him.
However, the usually motormouth Kasukuwere did not have much to say as he made a whistle between his prompt response and before getting into the car.
“I’m happy to be back Home!” These are the words that will possibly make headlines in most newspapers in and around the country as well as abroad as he was whisked away in a Mercedes Benz owned by ZANU PF-linked businessman Agrippa Masiyakurima, also known as Bopela.
Clad in a blue suit and brown berett, Kasukuwere seemed in high spirits as, like a boss, made his way out of the airport, albeit , through the “Departures gate” as he seemed to be running away from the zoom lenses of journalists.
Journalists were not alone in waiting for Kasukuwere. There were more than 30 youths from the NPF,who were waiting to catch a glimpse of the man who once called out the then fugitive Mnangagwa as a border jumper.
Ironically, Kasukuwere “sneaked” out of the country, only to be spotted in South Africa, weeks after Mnangagwa had been sworn on as President.
Back to the airport, as if it was a competition, ZanuPF youths, led by their Harare Province Chairman, Godwin Gomwe, also wanted a piece of Kasukuwere albeit to embarrass him as they had placards denouncing him as a “thief” who “destroyed our party”
Unlike NPF youths, ZanuPF youths could be heard whispering, as they tried to void being heard by several secret service personnel who were dotted around the arrivals lounge, that they had “business”to do with Tyson.
ZanuPF youths display placards denouncing Savior Kasukuwere at RGM Airport
Luckily for Kasukuwere and unfortunately for the ruling party’s youths, Bopela was there to be Saviors’ savior.
Now the country awaits with abetted breath on what fate will befall Kasukuwere, whom many believe should be charged for corruption. However, a warrant of arrest has not been served, yet!
Can Savior make it to another day without receiving a not so welcome visit from either the police or officials from the Zimbabwe Anti Corruption Commission, thats a story for another time or day.
