ZIMBABWE Electoral Commission (Zec) chairperson Justice Simpson Mutambanengwe was allegedly pushed out of the electoral body for his outspokenness and independent views by a Zanu PF clique that viewed him as a danger to their political survival ahead of watershed elections, according to senior government sources.
Paidamoyo Muzulu
Mutambanengwe was appointed Zec chairperson in 2010 but some Zanu PF stalwarts expressed reservations about his suitability for such an important commission.
Mutambanengwe’s resignation comes hot on the heels of Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission chairperson Regis Austin’s departure under unclear circumstances.
Sources said Mutambanengwe was summoned to the Ministry of Justice and forced to step down immediately purportedly on health grounds. His forced resignation was said to have been immediately accepted by President Robert Mugabe and communicated to the state-controlled daily Herald as a smokescreen.
“Mutambanengwe was called to Minister (of Justice Patrick) Chinamasa’s office where he was told to resign immediately,” the source said. “Shockingly Mugabe was said to have agreed to the resignation and the issue was released to the Herald for publication.”
Ironically, Mutambanengwe has no known medical condition that has troubled him in the last two years or been admitted to a medical institution during that time.
Another source said the “resignation” was timed to coincide with the announcement of the date of the much-awaited referendum to prevent it from becoming the talk of the town.
Chinamasa was not immediately available for comment.
The prime minister’s office has expressed shock and surprise at the sudden resignation of Mutambanengwe and is frantically seeking a meeting with him for clarity.
“We were taken by surprise and we are currently trying to meet him to get to the bottom of the issue,” said a senior staffer in the prime minister’s office.
A cabinet minister confirmed that moves to remove Mutambanengwe started last year and intensified in the past few weeks.
“Mutambanengwe was asked to relocate to Zimbabwe from Namibia in December last year or to resign from Zec,” the minister said. “When he came we all thought he would continue, but he is said to have resigned from the blue.”
A senior civil servant close to the Ministry of Justice confirmed some government officials were not comfortable with his independent mindedness.
“The idea of pushing him out has been in escalated motion since around December last year. They feared his outspokenness and independence, especially ahead of the elections,” the official said.
The sources said Mugabe is unlikely to appoint a substantive Zec chairperson before the elections, thus leaving room for deputy chairperson Joyce Kazembe to take charge of the referendum and elections.
Kazembe was Zec deputy chairperson during the controversial 2008 elections when the electoral body took five weeks to announce the presidential poll results.
Zanu PF hawks, according to sources, also never really forgave Mutambanengwe for his support for the Nhari rebellion during the liberation struggle.
Rigging has just begun. Ana Tsvangirai makangoti maziso boi boi. This time you have no excuse mukasagadzirisa zvinhu before maelections. MaHawks anongonzi maHawks vakanyanyorwa hondo zvinoshamisira chiiko? ZEC naMudede are the only hope for zanu, imimi makesure zvagadziriswa.
The machinery and people who terrorised civilians in the last elections are still there and it is amazing the two MDCs are even agreeing to a referendum under such conditions. Mugabe’s interest lies solely in ensuring his own safe and peaceful retirement, nothing else. He does not care if we have a bloody election, his hands are already drenched in blood and more murders to cling on to power and prevent a possible stint at the Hague will not make any difference for him.
WHERE IS TSVANGIRAI ZVINHU ZVESE IZVI ZVICHIITIKA? I THINK ITS TIME THE MDC T DECLARE THAT THERE WILL BE NO ELECTIONS!!!!!!!!!!!
It was clear frm the beginning, its just that we don’t want to say we knew! Tsvangirai just accepted a useless position & useless ministries, save that of Finance. Zanu is running the country, finish & klaar
Its obvious Mugabe and Zanupf will not give up power in the next elections….they intend to fake a peaceful election but rig their way in…..In the meantimeTsvangirai is a moving target for assassination if rigging fails…Food for thought..if CIO offers Elizabeth Macheka a backdoor payment of say $2 million US to divorce and confuse Tsvangirai and smear his name just 3 weeks before the elections….do you guys think she is the kind that will refuse such a deal?…It looks like the odds are stacked against change…
@M.MAKONI taura zvako mumwe vangu pane rimwe paper the makones were given a bull parufu rwe mwana vawo, uyezve ndiwo weku rongera PM MORGAN T wakadzi why mapurisa kunobika parufu zviri pamutemo here izvi. PM ngatambe akachenjera. we need change mu ZIM takaimirira, tiri kutadza ku register as voters we MDC,s murikutora matanho api zanu pf bussing masoja wachi nyoresa
Well I would not put is beyond Zanu PF to do that.