Published: 17 July 2018

ZANU-PF commissariat director, Retired Colonel George Nare yesterday revealed that Zanu-PF and the military tried to talk to former President Robert Mugabe to no avail before the November coup that saw his ouster.

Speaking at a rally in Pumula, Bulawayo where he was representing Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga, Nare said Mugabe and a few members of the G40 cabal almost ran the country aground.

"As a party and also with the military, we tried to save the country from a few people who were leading it to the ground. Our former President was stubborn and surrounded by corrupt and power hungry individuals. We tried to talk to him (Mugabe) but the talks didn't yield anything. Every time when it seemed like he was giving in he would surprisingly change his mind," Nare said.

"We wanted to sort out the issues whilst Mugabe was President but his arrogance, especially how Grace Mugabe portrayed herself, left us with no option but to go on with Operation Restore Legacy. The party (Zanu-PF) had ceased to be the people's party, but had became a party of a few individuals. That's not what we fought for in the liberation struggle."

Nare directly taunted former Zanu-PF political commissar Saviour Kasukuwere, describing him as a mere driver who failed to mobilise followers, but led the process of purges which also saw Mnangagwa becoming a victim.

"Zanu-PF was affected by too many unnecessary purges. People were fired from the party for no reason by power-hungry people. How can someone who was a mere driver come in to be the commissar, an incompetent one? His job was to mobilise more followers, but all he did was to orchestrate the firing of people," he said.

VP Chiwenga was expected to address the rally but did not turn up.
- newsday