President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s security details went into
overdrive during an event at the Zanu PF leader’s Kwekwe farm, going to the
extent of using a drone in scouring for potential threats.
Guests that sat with Mnangagwa at the VVIP tent during a
field day held at his farm last Thursday revealed that close circuit television
cameras had been set up to monitor proceedings at the high table.
The VVIP tent accommodated Mnangagwa, his wife Auxillia,
cabinet ministers, Zanu PF politburo members, ZCC founder Nehemiah Mutendi and
top executives from agro-based companies led by Seedco.
A drone, which was being operated by military personnel
took aerial shots to monitor the event.
Villagers from the Sherwood area said some soldiers had
frisked them while they were carrying out their normal chores far from Pricabe
Farm where the field day was being held.
“My friend was setting up his traps for mice and was
rounded up by the soldiers who perhaps thought he could have been doing
something sinister. He was later freed after being quizzed,” said a villager.
Mnangagwa used a helicopter to travel to the farm.
On the 3km strip road from the Harare highway to the farm,
there were four security checkpoints with the ZRP manning the middle one while
soldiers were at the other two checkpoints.
Nick Mangwana, the government spokesperson, said there was
nothing unusual about Mnangagwa’s security arrangements.
“Any security arrangements are always dynamic to remove any
predictability and details of such are not a subject of public discourse,” he
said.
But political analyst Eldred Masunungure said the increased
security around Mnangagwa was understandable given the volatile situation in
the country.
“Currently the situation is volatile and anything can
happen,” he said. “The centre cannot hold and it is a matter of how long it can
stay like that.”
Another political analyst, Rashweat Mukundu, said Mnangagwa
should be a worried man due to the current deepening economic crisis.
“Generally one coup begets another because coups are
antithesis of democracy and inspired by selfishness yet what we want is
orderly, peaceful and constitutional transitions,” he said,
“While this is possible it is not something we should wish
for as citizens, but rather that the right of citizens to elect leaders remains
sacrosanct as per the constitution.”
Mnangagwa rose to power in 2017 after long time rule Robert
Mugabe was toppled in a military coup. Standard
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