A CLIQUE of Zanu PF members is reportedly plotting to oust
ailing Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga on grounds of incapacitation as
factional fights gripping the ruling party resurface and intensify, the
Zimbabwe Independent can report.
Chiwenga has been receiving medical treatment in China
after being airlifted from a South African hospital in June, amid frenzied
jostling by senior party officials angling to take over his influential
positions.
The former commander of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces was
unable to eat when he was airlifted, resulting in him becoming emaciated due to
illness and lack of food.
The renewed push to remove Chiwenga comes at a time he is
on a recovery path, although he is likely to remain holed up in Beijing for some
time.
He recently underwent two operations to clear his blocked
oesophagus. Information gathered this week indicates that he is still not able
to eat solid food, although he can now talk, walk and do light exercises.
Chiwenga’s associates say he was poisoned by political
rivals during the coup.
Zanu PF insiders say Chiwenga’s rivals want to take
advantage of his prolonged absence from office to oust him from power on
charges of incapacitation.
“We have a group that is plotting the removal of the VP,
while he is still away because they fear he may escalate the succession fight,”
a Zanu PF official said.
“They want to use Section 97 of the constitution which
provides for the removal of a Vice-President on conditions of incapacitation.
The idea is for them to get some members of the opposition to move the motion
in parliament and then support it. But the general and his allies will not go
down without a fight.”
A number of Chiwenga’s loyalists have been purged from the
party and influenti positions in the security sector
Zanu PF spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo said he had not heard
anything about the issue.
“I have not heard anything about that issue. And on the
question of divisions in the party I am not aware of any divisions,” he said.
Moyo also said he was not aware that there had been
violence at the party’s internal elections to select members of the district
co-ordinating committees held last month resulting in their suspension. The
violence was caused by renewed infighting within the party.
“I was in Mozambique for the elections and nobody ever told
me that there was any violence,” Moyo said.
According to section 97 of the constitution on the removal
of President or Vice-President from office: “(1) The Senate and the National
Assembly, by a joint resolution passed by at least one-half of their total
membership, may resolve that the question whether or not the President or a
Vice-President should be removed from office for— …(d) inability to perform the
functions of the office because of physical or mental incapacity; should be
investigated in terms of this section.”
“(2) Upon the passing of a resolution in terms of
subsection (1), the Committee on Standing Rules and Orders must appoint a joint
committee of the Senate and the National Assembly consisting of nine members
reflecting the political composition of Parliament, to investigate the removal
from office of the President or Vice-President, as the case may be.
“(3) If — (a) the joint committee appointed in terms of
subsection (2) recommends the removal from office of the President or
Vice-President; and b) the Senate and the National Assembly, by a joint
resolution passed by at least two-thirds of their total membership, may resolve
that the President or Vice-President, as the case may be, should be removed
from office; the President or Vice-President thereupon ceases to hold office.”
Although President Emmerson Mnangagwa and Chiwenga were
allies ahead of the November 2017 military coup that toppled the late former
president Robert Mugabe, sharp divisions emerged as the duo battled to control
the heart and soul of Zanu PF and government.
Insiders say initially the coup deal was that Mnangagwa
would come in as a civilian face and serve one term and go, leaving power to
Chiwenga.
However, Mnangagwa’s repeated talk of two terms soon after
assuming power widened the rift between the two and renewed factionalism.
Mnangagwa wanted to appoint Muchinguri-Kashiri as one of
his deputies soon after the coup which ended Mugabe’s 37-year rule, but the
military demanded that the position be given to Chiwenga, who also at the time
insisted on being in charge of the influential Defence and War Veterans
portfolios.
Zanu PF insiders told the Independent in August that
Chiwenga’s health woes have ignited frenzied jostling for his seat, with
Muchinguri-Kashiri emerging as the front-runner.
At the time, many Zanu PF officials were convinced the
former military commander would not survive. Zimbabwe Independent
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