ED fires ‘diplomatic nightmare’ State Security minister
President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa has fired State Security minister Owen “Mudha” Ncube for conduct inappropriate for a Minister of Government.
Insiders say Ncube had become a diplomatic nightmare for his involvement in gold wars. He is accused of leading Machete violence gangs who have been unleashing a reign of terror in gold mining communities.
Officially though, Chief Secretary to the Office of the President and Cabinet, Misheck Sibanda, said Ncube had been dismissed for inappropriate conduct.
“The President Cde ED Mnangagwa has in terms of section 340, subsection (1) paragraph (f), as read with section 104, subsection (1) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe removed Owen Ncube from Office of Cabinet Minister with immediate effect for conduct inappropriate for a Minister of Government,” Sibanda wrote in a statement.
Sources close to Mnangagwa dismissed assertions that the firing of Ncube was part of stemming a succession war aimed at toppling the president.
“While Mudha was incompetent as a minister of State Security, ED and Mudha are still inseparable. Mudha still occupies a special place in the plans of Mnangagwa regards canvassing for elections,” an insider said.
“On the other hand ED is eager to paint himself as a nonsense leader and Mhudha’s way of doing things was in variance with Mnangagwa’s re-engagement policy. Remember on his ascension to power, Mnangagwa employed a soft stance in which he is on record for describing himself to be ‘as soft as wool.’ Contrary to this approach, Mudha is a hardliner.”
Ncube is ineligible to enter the US over his involvement in gross rights abuses.
The source added: “Ultimately, because these two are close friends, Mudha will actually be grovelling at the president this evening asking him where he can be deployed and he will be given a soft landing. There is no fall out. There no succession war. ED is firmly in control.”
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