Two days after missing a high-profile state funeral,
Vice-President Emmerson Mnanagwa yesterday attended a memorial service for the
late Masvingo Provincial Affairs minister Shuvai Mahofa in Gutu accompanied by
several loyalists.
Mnangagwa on Thursday missed the burial of late
vice-president Joseph Msika’s wife Maria at the Heroes Acre where President
Robert Mugabe railed against lieutenants he described as “Judas Iscariots”.
The VP was largely seen as the target of Mugabe’s vitriol
as the veteran ruler has been complaining about senior Zanu PF officials trying
to push him out of power.
At the last public event that the two attended in Bindura,
Mugabe humiliated Mnangagwa over his alleged ambitions to take over from the
93-year-old.
There was speculation that the VP stayed away from
Thursday’s event to avoid further embarrassment and his appearance at Mahofa’s
memorial in the company of loyalists sent tongues wagging.
Senior Zanu PF officials from Masvingo who are believed to
be loyal to the G40 faction, which is at loggerheads with Mnangagwa’s Team
Lacoste, were conspicuous by their absence at the memorial.
At the event, the VP
said Mahofa’s heroine status was testimony of her industrious work during and
after the liberation struggle. Mahofa was a key member of Team Lacoste, who together with
Psychomotor minister Josiah Hungwe had caused headaches to the rival faction,
G40, before the fluid Zanu PF succession fights tilted against them.
Mnangagwa sat at the high table alongside Hungwe, Zanu PF
chief whip Lovemore Matuke, Zanu PF deputy secretary for administration July
Moyo and Masvingo provincial chairman Ezra Chadzamira, who are all seen as
members of Team Lacoste.
Tourism minister Walter Mzembi said he did not attend the
memorial service because he was attending the just-ended Sanganai/Hlanganani
fair in Bulawayo.
“Minister Hungwe personally informed me about the memorial
during Mai Msika’s burial ceremony and separately I received an SMS invitation
from the party secretariat in Masvingo,” he said.
“In both instances, I RSVPed my unavailability because of
prior commitments in Bulawayo where I am the host minister for our annual
international tourism fair, Sanganai, running from September 27-30 and World
Tourism Day Celebrations.”
Other Zanu PF MPs from Masvingo were in Harare attending
the national paralympic games at Danhiko where first lady Grace Mugabe
officiated.
Zanu PF sources at Mahofa’s memorial service said it was
clear that Zanu PF was riddled with factionalism.
“His [Mnangagwa] attendance was symbolic,” the source said.
“He wanted to give his backers strength and assurance that contrary to what
Grace said about him deserting them, he is still with them and hoped for a
dramatic comeback to seal his rise to Mugabe’s throne.”
Alexander Rusero, a political analyst, said it was too
early to write Mnangagwa off following the onslaught by Mugabe and his wife. “The problem with Mugabe is one, indicating right and
turning left,” he said.
“On face value, it’s Mnangagwa he seemed to be referring to
[as Judas Iscariot]. But considering what Mugabe said at the burial of Nathan
Shamuyarira when he said Zanu PF had weevils, a lot thought he was referring to
Jonathan Moyo but a month later, it came into the open that he was referring to
Joice Mujuru and company. A day is long in politics.”
Mujuru and hundreds of her backers were fired from Zanu PF
in 2014 for allegedly plotting against Mugabe. Standard
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