ZANU PF Politburo member, Kenneth Musanhi’s bid to become a Mashonaland Central king maker has suffered a devastating blow after Lazarus Dokora unceremoniously aborted his campaign for the hotly contested Provincial Chairmanship post, Zim Morning Post can report.
Dokora threw in the towel on Tuesday, stepping out of the increasingly heated Mashonaland Central impeding provincial elections also pitting provincial heavyweights, incumbent Kazembe Kazembe, National Consultative Assembly member James Makamba and businessman Tafadzwa Musarara.
Zanu PF provincial elections have temporarily been suspended countrywide after party top officials received a damning dossier detailing violence, vote buying and factionalism tearing apart the ruling party.
Insiders say President Emmerson Mnangagwa is now weighing the option of co-opting individuals into Zanu PF chairmanship posts to avoid the fragmented party from further splitting ahead the 2023 election.
However, that has not stopped party bigwigs from throwing the kitchen sink at the party district elections with top officials lining their ducks in a roll in a desperate bid to plant their proxies into the lower structures of the party.
Establishing proxies at district level increases ones influence in the upper rungs of the ruling party.
In Mashonaland Central, well-placed sources told Zim Morning Post that Dokora was being financially and materially backed by the wealthy Musanhi, whose business includes mining, transport and real estate interests.
“Musanhi sought to cement his position as Provincial supremo after the death of the late national hero, Perrence Shiri, by having an ally as Provincial Chairman. That arrangement would allow him to hold sway over the Party in Mashonaland Central,” a highly placed insider said.
“The unpopular Dokora, who was fired from his Cabinet post allegedly for poor performance, was banking on Musanhi’s patronage to garner the provincial post. However, indications are that the increasingly unsettled Musanhi pulled the plug on Dokora after realising that the latter had neither political or personal clout to win the race,” the insider added.
In mid-September, Dokora’s camp alleged that pro-Kazembe elements had attempted to assassinate him, with accusations flying claiming party rivals used claw hammers to smash the former minister’s vehicle.
“It turned out that Dokora’s vehicle had been damaged by a love rival, who was irritated that Dokora was in a relationship with a shared girlfriend. The embarrassing episode reportedly disappointed Musanhi further,” an insider said.
Meanwhile, ZANU PF members close to Musanhi opined that there is more to the issue than meets the eye.
One observer, who refused to be named fearing reprisal, said that Musanhi himself has contributed to the sinking of Dokora.
Apparently, at various times in the past year, Musanhi has backed Makamba, Musarara and Dokora, always withdrawing support at the drop of a hat.
A highly placed source believes Musanhi was merely motivated by a desire to torpedo Kazembe, who ascended to Provincial Chairmanship post at the height of Operation Restore Legacy.
“Musanhi isn’t interested in the health of the party, but wants to build his own power base. He wants Mashonaland Central in his pocket,” added the observer.
In an interesting turn, Musanhi himself has come under fervent attack, with the party grassroots accusing him of having a short memory.
One Rushinga based branch executive member noted that Musanhi had quickly forgotten that Dokora was a major Gamatox and G40 element who pushed for the ouster of President Emmerson Mnangagwa from the party in 2017.
“Asiyanei neG40 iye Musanhi wacho,” quipped the charged executive.
To add salt to the wound, Musanhi’s critics have pointed out his family links with the Kasukuweres, the perceived powerhouses of the vanquished G40.
Musanhi was once married to a sister of the Kasukuweres. His rivals allege that his sympathies lie with the G40 cabal, hence his support, however withdrawn, for Dokora, and his alleged rabid hatred for Kazembe.
A related allegation is that Musanhi financially backed G40 kingpins Wonder Mashange and Itai Dickson Mafiosi, when the duo was incarcerated in 2019. Critics believe that this support proves his true allegiance.
Meanwhile, Musanhi has not been spared of accusations of abusing his station and wealth to sexually lure female senior provincial women’s League and lower level members.
“Musanhi knows what people now know, and fears that his secrets will be revealed. That is why he is now backing a not-so-popular Musarara. That way, he will not suffer any massive political loss. By openly opposing the cunning Kazembe, Musanhi has exposed himself to attack,” said the contact.
While political temperatures continue to rise in the province, it remains to be seen how Musanhi will maintain his political influence.
