PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa's move to give luxury vehicles to members of the controversial Political Actors' Dialogue (Polad) is part of an elaborate plan to delay elections while consolidating his stranglehold on Zanu-PF, it has been revealed.
Mnangagwa on Friday handed over 19 Isuzu D-Max twin cab
trucks to Polad members at an event in Harare.
Sixteen of the cars were given to Polad
"principals" and three to the secretariat, which is the Office of the
President and Justice ministry. He said the Polad members would use the cars
for political work and also for their party activities.
Polad insiders have told this publication that the
"political work" will include selling the idea of postponing
by-elections or even the 2023 elections indefinitely.
MDC-T led by Douglas Mwonzora is already pushing through
Parliament for the indefinite postponement of by-elections that were due last
year citing the Covid-19 pandemic.
Mnangagwa indicated on Friday that Mwonzora had been
invited to join Polad even though he was not a presidential candidate in the
2018 elections, a prerequisite for joining the platform.
The two held a private meeting at State House in June where
they discussed the indefinite suspension of elections, among other things.
Polad members said Mnangagwa and Mwonzora were in agreement
about delaying elections for self-preservation purposes.
The Zanu-PF leader is said to be keen on delaying the polls to contain his deputy Constantino Chiwenga while the MDC-T leader wants more time to build his party.
There are reports of a growing faction in Zanu-PF that
wants Chiwenga to challenge Mnangagwa in the 2023 elections and delaying the
polls through potential constitutional amendments that would be supported by
MDC-T to ensure their plan does not succeed, the Polad insiders said.
"It is now clear, Mwonzora's request for suspension of
by-elections is Mnangagwa's plan," a Polad source said.
"Mnangagwa is against both the byelections and 2023
elections. He wants to extend his rule uninterrupted through some working
arrangement with the Polad members."
The Polad member said they were being promised positions in
government as pay back for supporting the election delays.
"Mwonzora will join Polad and use his presence in
Parliament to propose amendments to the constitution.
"He will whip his MPs to support and with Zanu-PF
holding the majority, the amendments will pass," the Polad insider added.
"This will have to happen before September (next
month) when Mnangagwa is expected to visit Britain.
"This will help him convince the world that he likes
peace and he has joined with other political parties for the sake of
peace."
Polad members, who include Lovemore Madhuku, that received
cars from Mnangagwa, will be despatched to provinces to preach peace and unity.
Madhuku yesterday took to Twitter to defend the
government's decision to give them cars. He said he would use the car to build
his NCA party, which did not win a single seat in the last elections.
"The vehicle is from the government of Zimbabwe,"
Madhuku tweeted. "I am a political leader in Zimbabwe. I lead a party
called NCA.
"The NCA believes in the Polad philosophy. I believe
in the Polad philosophy. The vehicle will help me to spread the Polad approach
and build the NCA."
Mwonzora's spokesperson Lloyd Damba dismissed claims that
his boss was working with Mnangagwa to postpone elections.
Damba said Morgen Komichi, who started the debate in
Parliament on the indefinite postponement of elections, presented an MDC-T
position.
"Komichi is national chairman; he is simply stating
the party position that elections under this environment will not be
feasible," he said.
"We will be cry-babies after losing because the
environment is not level."
He insisted that Mwonzora was not going to join Polad.
Chiwenga, who doubles as Health minister, first postponed byelections in
December last year citing the outbreak of Covid-19. Standard
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