IN a dramatic development which could have led to a seismic
shift in local politics, Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa last week offered to
resign from his government and ruling party posts, saying he could not stand
the ongoing public flogging and humiliation by Zanu PF’s Young Turks coalesced
around First Lady Grace Mugabe, the Zimbabwe Independent has heard.
High-level sources said a concatenation of recent events
led to Mnangagwa’s resignation, which was, however, rejected by President
Robert Mugabe. Mnangagwa has worked with Mugabe for almost 50 years and is
always critical to his election strategy.
The sources said Mnangagwa met Mugabe on Monday last week,
where he complained about the public flagellation and embarrassment he had been
subjected to and endured at Zanu PF youth and women rallies, most blatantly at
the party headquarters in Harare on July 27 and July 29 in Chinhoyi.
Prior to that, he had been publicly routed in Marondera,
Mutare and Masvingo, directly and indirectly. Mugabe and Grace, supported by
their allies, often led the charge most of the times.
Higher Education minister Jonathan Moyo started the current
ruthless campaign against Mnangagwa on June 1 at a Sapes Trust Dialogue Series
public discussion in Harare, where he said Defence minister Sydney Sekeramayi —
now widely seen as the chosen one — was a better candidate to succeed Mugabe
than the vice-president. The following day in Marondera, Mugabe reinforced the
message and has been doing so during each of the ongoing youth rallies.
Moyo launched the most ferocious attack on Mnangagwa
through a video-documentary at a Zanu PF politburo meeting on July 19. Mnangagwa
will respond to the video, which says he is plotting to oust Mugabe, in the
next politburo meeting. Moyo is said to be planning a counter-attack on
Mnangagwa after that.
Tomorrow Mugabe might stay course despite Mnangagwa and his
allies’ protests at the next youth rally in Gwanda. Vice-President Phelekezela Mphoko has also been brutal in
his attacks on Mnangagwa. Another G40 ally Patrick Zhuwao has been on a warpath
against the vice-president. Last year Mnangagwa was also subjected to public
attacks, mainly by Manicaland provincial minister Mandi Chimene and ousted Zanu
PF Women’s League treasurer Sarah Mahoka.
“Following recent events and political developments,
Mnangagwa on Monday last week offered to resign,” one source said. “He sought
to resign in writing from his two posts as state vice-president and Zanu PF
second secretary at an impromptu meeting, where Mugabe declined the letter and
resignation.
“The vice-president gave mainly two reasons for seeking to
quit. First, he cited public attacks and humiliation by Grace at the Zanu PF
headquarters on July 27 and the same thing two days later, on July 29, in
Chinhoyi.
“Second, Mnangagwa said he now believes there is a plot
against him by the system, given recent developments and allegedly false intelligence
reports which on many issues made him think Mugabe wanted him to be his
successor.”
Sources said Mnangagwa took with him some newspaper
articles which showed Grace’s public attacks on him.
“The vice-president had newspaper articles which he presented
to Mugabe, saying Grace has launched a character assassination campaign against
him. He said he has the capacity to respond, but has been quiet because he
respects the First Family.”
Sources said Mugabe, who has already said publicly he wants
to reconfigure the Zanu PF presidium by bringing in a woman as one of his
deputies by December, listened to him, but rejected his offer to resign.
Either
the current two vice-presidents will be increased to three or one of them,
between Mnangagwa and Mphoko, will have to go for the deputies to remain two.
If Grace was to come in, as widely thought, it would be difficult to remove
Mphoko as he is representing the old Zapu in the 1987 Unity Accord arrangement
with Zanu. This puts Mnangagwa in an invidious position, although the Zanu PF
Midlands Godfather still has room to manoeuvre, insiders say. “Mugabe rejected
the resignation offer, saying Mnangagwa was jumping the gun,” a source said.
Mnangagwa’s backers say the vice-president also urged
Mugabe to resolve his differences with the military privately rather than
publicly attacking them.
Mnangagwa, who until recently was seen as a shoo-in to
succeed Mugabe, is locked in a bitter wrangle with the G40 faction pushing for
Sekeramayi to succeed the long-time ruler. At the Zanu PF Women’s League
national assembly meeting a fortnight ago, Grace challenged Mugabe to anoint
his successor in a move widely seen as an attempt to derail Mnangagwa’s bid and
fast-track Sekeramayi in.
Mugabe then lambasted the military for meddling in
politics, warning their moves were bordering on a coup.
Grace also addressed the Chinhoyi youth rally, where she
degraded her rivals in the presence of Mugabe. There she insinuated Mnangagwa
was loyal to Mugabe by day, but disloyal to him by night, before challenging
him to be consistently loyal. The First Lady, who last year said
vice-presidents reported to her, publicly embarrassed Mugabe’s spokesman,
George Charamba, a Mnangagwa loyalist, accusing him of abusing the state media
for factional agendas. She asked why the state-controlled media was being used
to denigrate certain ministers and officials while promoting others. Since
then, the state media, particularly The Herald and The Sunday Mail, have
retreated in fear.
Grace also took the opportunity to defend her G40 allies,
Moyo and the embattled national commissar Saviour Kasukuwere, saying the Higher
Education minister was being falsely accused of corruption, while Kasukuwere
was being targeted for political reasons.
Kasukuwere has been under fire after nine of the party’s 10
provincial executive committees passed a vote-of-no-confidence in him. He was
accused of creating parallel structures to unseat Mugabe, mismanagement,
abusing party assets, funds and nepotism. Mugabe said no-one appointed by him
can be removed by provinces.
Moyo has been accused of abusing the Zimbabwe Manpower
Development Fund money for personal benefit and to advance his political
objectives. But Zanu PF has come to his rescue, saying he used the public funds
to support party activities.
In February last year, Mnangagwa was subjected to a
stinging attack by Mahoka, who challenged him to openly declare his
presidential ambitions before accusing him of behaving like a duck. Following
the latest attacks, Mnangagwa met Mugabe, where he pledged his loyalty to the
president before offering to quit.
“The two have been together for a long time and Mnangagwa
has been a pillar of strength for Mugabe, especially being his election agent,”
the source said.
“Mnangagwa asked Mugabe last week to relieve him of his
duties so that he doesn’t continue to be attacked and humiliated, having
faithfully worked for the president for a long time. He complained that on
various occasions, very junior people are politically manipulated and used to
embarrass him.”
Zanu PF insiders say Mnangagwa has previously contemplated
resigning after certain critical events.
In 2000, after his defeat in the parliamentary election by
the original MDC’s Blessing Chebundo in Kwekwe, Mnangagwa is said to have
almost retired before Mugabe sent the late vice-present Simon Muzenda to tell
him to stay as he was going to be made Speaker of Parliament. The same issue
arose in 2005 after his second defeat by Chebundo. Mugabe rescued him and appointed
him MP and Rural Housing minister.
After bruising defeats within Zanu PF in 1999 and 2004, for
positions of chairman and vice-president by the late John Nkomo and
ex-vice-president Joice Mujuru respectively, Mnangagwa fought back and
recovered. This time it seems he is facing his toughest political test yet. Zimbabwe
independent
0 comments:
Post a Comment