Mutasa Reclaimed: The Prodigal Statesman Returns at 90
After an arduous eleven-year sojourn in the political wilderness, the venerable nonagenarian and erstwhile ZANU PF Secretary for Administration, Didymus Mutasa, has been formally reintegrated into the revolutionary fold.
His readmission, confirmed by party spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa on March 11, 2026, marks a watershed moment in Zimbabwe’s contemporary political landscape, as the veteran politician takes his seat within the prestigious Council of Elders Forum.ñ
The return of a figure as titanic as Mutasa is not merely a sentimental gesture; it is a calculated masterstroke of institutional consolidation.
Mutasa’s expulsion in 2015—orchestrated during the internecine “Gamatox” purges—was a symptom of a fractured era. By re-enlisting him, the party is effectively suturing old wounds and reinforcing its structural integrity through several key avenues.
At 90 years old, Mutasa serves as a living repository of the liberation struggle and post-independence governance.
His presence in the Council of Elders ensures that the party’s current trajectory remains anchored in its foundational
ethos, providing a historical compass for younger cadres.
The “Big Tent” Strategy: His readmission signals a shift toward radical inclusivity.
It demonstrates that the current dispensation is prioritizing unity over historical grievances, effectively neutralizing potential pockets of internal dissent by bringing “prodigal” veterans back into the decision-making apparatus.
By resolving the “Gamatox” era’s lingering ghosts, the party streamlines its internal hierarchy. Mutasa’s transition from a litigant challenging the party’s legality in 2015 to a pillar of the Council of Elders today validates the party’s internal dispute-resolution mechanisms.
Mutasa’s trajectory is a Shakespearean saga of power, fallibility, and ultimate vindication.
Serving as the Speaker of Parliament (1980–1990) and holding various ministerial portfolios, he was once the quintessential “insider.” However, the 2015 purge saw him stripped of his Makoni Central parliamentary seat and his dignity within the movement he helped build.
In an audacious display of defiance following his expulsion, Mutasa challenged the “Grand Old Party” in the courts, arguing that his removal by the National Disciplinary Committee—then chaired by Phelekezela Mphoko—was a legal nullity.
This period of friction saw him flirt with opposition politics alongside Joice Mujuru in the Zimbabwe People First (ZPF) project, an experiment that ended in further acrimony when he was expelled from that outfit for allegedly attempting to usurp leadership.
The integration of Mutasa into the Council of Elders is a strategic refinement of the party’s advisory wing. This body acts as a “Supreme Chamber” that operates above the daily fray of elective politics, focusing instead on ideology and long-term stability.
Mutasa’s seasoned perspective allows the party to manage internal friction with the nuance only a former Secretary for Administration can provide.
His role facilitates a structured transfer of wisdom, ensuring that the “New Dispensation” retains the grit of the liberation generation while adapting to modern geopolitical realities.
To the grassroots, Mutasa represents the “Old Guard.” His return signals to the veteran voting bloc that the party is whole again, creating a formidable, unified front ahead of future electoral cycles.
Interestingly, Mutasa’s return coincides with a broader trend of “Veterans’ Resurgence,” where the party is systematically reclaiming its exiled intellectual capital.
His readmission, alongside his nephew Temba Mliswa’s various political evolutions, underscores a fascinating reality in Zimbabwean politics: in the pursuit of revolutionary permanence, there are no permanent enemies, only permanent interests.
