PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa has elevated First Lady Auxilia Mnangagwa to a top Zanu PF party post, a development which observers yesterday said could widen fissures within the ruling party apart.
Auxillia is the new Zanu PF secretary for environment and
tourism, a post previously occupied by former Public Service minister Priscah
Mupfumira following Mnangagwa’s politburo reshuffle on Tuesday.
Auxillia was Mupfumira’s deputy all along having been
appointed to the post by the late former President Robert Mugabe.
Mupfumira is currently battling a corruption charge in the
courts involving US$90 000 National Social Security funds.
Early this year, Mnangagwa awarded Auxillia the Order of
the Star of Zimbabwe gold medal for her “outstanding performance” in
philanthropic activities, among 99 other outstanding institutions, civilians
and gallant fighters of the liberation struggle.
Political analyst Fidelis Duri said her elevation was aimed
at facilitating her political rise to consolidate Mnangagwa’s power base,
copying from Mugabe’s template.
He argued that Auxillia was elevated during a politburo
reshuffle announced on Wednesday to subdue Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga,
a leading contender in the behind-the-scenes battle to succeed Mnangagwa.
“This is purely history repeating itself. We have seen this
before,” Duri said.
“We raised eyebrows when Mugabe appointed his wife Grace to
key posts in the party before he sacked his deputy, now President. Mnangagwa is
giving his wife an influential position. There is no doubt that the appointment
was supported by Mnangagwa’s cronies who wanted him to remain in power so that
they are rewarded somehow. The
appointment points to the state of factionalism which has now become deep
rooted in the ruling party.”
In 2014, Grace was given a doctorate in sociology by the
University of Zimbabwe just two months after registering at the institution.
Once a quiet figure known for her shopping and charity
work, she became more high-profile in Zanu PF as the head of the women’s league
and was instrumental in the ousting of several potential successors to her
husband.
Another political analyst Rashweat Mukundu concurred,
saying the politburo reshuffle and new appointments were aimed at disrupting
plots by his rivals within the party.
“There is no doubt that the latest politburo moves by
Mnangagwa are partly intended to disrupt his rivals in the party and also
consolidate power by bringing in those close to him. Roping in the wife who we have no history in
terms of her ranking in the party is a clear indication of a man wanting
sympathy and support, and seeking to neutralise his opponents. This is akin to
Mugabe’s last days as Mnangagwa is increasingly showing frustration with his
failure to take a stronger grip of the party.
“As it was in the days of Mugabe, it looks like it will be
the same in Mnangagwa’s days. Will he succeed where Mugabe failed? I doubt it.
History is simply repeating itself because Mnangagwa has not sought to reform
the party and country, but rather to implement the worst version of Mugabe’s power
template.”
War veterans leader Chris Mutsvangwa was appointed party
spokesperson, taking over from the late national hero Simon Khaya Moyo.
Former minister Jonathan Moyo condemned Mutsvangwa’s
appointment.
“#FamilyAffair. It is a husband and wife team handling
information in government and Zanu PF. And @edmnangagwa so!” he tweeted.
Political analyst Vivid Gwede said: “This is also a way of
rewarding and returning Mutsvangwa from a political Siberia he had now seemed
to be confined to. The other way of looking at it is that there is not much to
write home about since there are many communicators within Zanu PF at many
levels.”
But Zanu PF information director Tafadzwa Mugwadi said
there was nothing amiss about the appointments.
“The appointing authority is an astute leader and he has no
desire whatsoever to create a family dynasty and it should be noted with no
ambiguity that Cde Mutsvangwa does not by any means belong to the Mnangagwa
family. He is a deserving individual. Moyo was a cheerleader of the Mugabe
dynasty and now he wants to make a comparison of the two.” Newsday
0 comments:
Post a Comment