Staff reporter
Huge cracks have emerged in the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition (CiZC) following machinations by Blessing Vava (CiZC National Director) to push for the ouster of the organisation’s youth chairperson, Pride Mukono, on allegations of hobnobbing with Samuel Wadzai Mangoma and being a rebel.
In January this year, Mangoma, the Executive Director of the Vendors Initiative for Social and Economic Transformation (VISET), contested against Peter Mutasa for the CiZC’s chairmanship and was defeated in unclear circumstances.
A leaked WhatsApp chat gleaned by this publication revealed that Vava, Pedzisai Ruhanya and Rashid Mahiya were all pushing for the ouster of Mukono from CiZC.
“Cdes, the hearing of Pride Mukono is on 25 March, I consulted with other comrades and we all agreed that he must be fired from CiZC,” wrote Vava in the group.
Ruhanya responded saying, “Mfanha uyo is nothing in Civil Society, aifurirwa nana Wadzai asi nhasi akasiiwa pachena. Let’s fire him.”
Another member of the group using WhatsApp number +1(919)309-1475 disagreed with Vava and Ruhanya saying that Mukono enjoys support from CiZC spokesperson Obert Masaraure.
“Cdes, as far as I know, Pride is close to our spokesperson Masaraure and firing him is indirectly firing the spokesperson because they were in one camp during the AGM. Remember Pride is a schemer, whatever you want to decide, get ready for a serious fight. I also remember that the late Dewa Mavinga was always on Pride’s side. Hatisi takuzvinyanya here,” warned the member.
Vava maintained that Mukono should be fired because he was problematic and could influence the youth committee to rebel against CiZC leaders.
Mahiya was unconvinced by the idea of firing Mukono as he was afraid that he might spill the dirty operations of CiZC to the public.
“What if we fire him then he gets bitter and spills some of the dirty operations we carried out with him. Varume tinopera neState,” said Mahiya.
In the same WhatsApp conversation, one member with the name Kule Gweshe warned that Mukono was a hotwire and touching him might lead to the collapse of the organisation.
“I stay with Pride in Warren Park, he has potential yekutipedza tese if we are not careful. Ko tadii kungomusiya. If you still remember, that year Pride akarwisa Elton Mangoma kusvika Mangoma aparara. So if you are dealing with Pride you should be careful,” said Gweshe.
Another member Stabile Dewa argued that Mukono should not be fired for challenging the rigged results that elevated Mutasa to the helm of CiZC.
In the whole conversation, Ruhanya and Vava maintained that Mukono was a political nobody and firing him would not affect the organisation in any way.
Efforts to get a comment from CiZC spokesperson Masaraure were futile as his mobile phones were not reachable.
