PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa’s backers were forced to cancel a solidarity march that was meant to boost his 2023 re-election campaign as discontent grew in Zanu PF over his increasing reliance on parallel structures, it has emerged.
The solidarity march that was pencilled for August 27,
which was organised by an outfit calling itself MenBelievED, was abandoned at
the 11th hour with the organisers saying they will provide details about their
next move.
Nothing has been heard from the organisers of the march
almost a month later.
It has since been revealed by insiders that Mnangagwa
buckled under pressure after it became clear that Zanu PF party structures were
not happy about being sidelined amid concerns about the sprouting of parallel
structures.
The march was cancelled after it became clear that it no
longer had the Zanu PF leader’s backing.
A fortnight ago, the Zimbabwe Republic Police issued a
statement saying there were criminals that were abusing Mnangagwa and first
lady Auxillia Mnangagwa’s names by holding events, which they claimed were
sanctioned by the president.
Police threatened that several arrests were looming over
the issue but no one has been charged over the allegations.
There was a growing feeling in Zanu PF that Mnangagwa was
rewarding opportunists looking for money and other material benefits such as
cars, the ruling party sources said.
“These guys simply form groups, which they will use to gain
access to the president,” a party official who requested anonymity said.
“Of interest is that these guys don’t bring in any new
supporters.
“The money given to support them can make meaningful impact
if given to the structures of the party.
“Imagine, there are many people who have been in party
structures for decades and have never met the president.
“They have nothing to show for their effort, but someone
simply forms a group and gets a car, laptop, tablets or mobile phones and data.
“That money and resources are given to Varakashi for ED
when the information department at the party headquarters does not have
resources.”
Another ruling party official said Zanu PF structures such
as the women and youth leagues felt ignored in events organised for Mnangagwa
and the first lady.
“Like last time, we had Young Women for ED partnering with
the first lady for cooking sessions in Bulawayo and there was no involvement of
the women’s league,” said a senior women’s league member.
“It explains why the women and youth leagues are not doing
anything because they have realised the president and the first lady have more
faith in those parallel structures.”
Another official who also requested anonymity for fear of
victimisation said having parallel structures campaigning for Mnangagwa would
pose a huge threat to the party if the president wins in the 2023 elections.
“A president, who will win using parallel structures will
never respect party structure and this will pose a huge threat to the party,”
he said.
“One of the many ways we differ with the opposition CCC is
that we have structures and all that we do should be driven by the structures.
“So how different will we be from Chamisa who does not have
structures if we don’t rely on them?
“The truth is, we feel our president no longer has faith in
the structures because he thinks others support Vice-President (Constantino)
Chiwenga to take over power from him. So, it seems he wants his own people to
lead his campaign.”
MenBelievED founder Justice Matsatsira and Zanu PF
spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa were not answering their mobile phones when
reached for comment.
In the past, similar solidarity marches were organised by
party organs at the height of factional fights in Zanu PF that pitted late
president Robert Mugabe and Mnangagwa.
Mugabe was eventually toppled in a coup in 2017, which
paved the way for his deputy.
In 2016, former Zanu PF youth secretary Kudzai Chipanga
organised a “million-man march” in support of Mugabe amid manoeuvres by a camp
linked to Mnangagwa to remove him. Standard
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