Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who had all arrows aimed at him since he was appointed by President Robert Mugabe in 2014, now seems to have weathered the storm. Instead, there seems to be a stampede to back him, or at least to be seen to be on his side.
Women’s League deputy secretary Eunice Sandi Moyo started the ball rolling by stating that anyone who denigrated any of the vice-presidents was in fact denigrating Mugabe.
First Lady Grace Mugabe, who early this year was regarded as Mnangagwa’s greatest rival, followed suit. She publicly stated that she wished to assure the two vice-presidents Mnangagwa and Phelekezela Mphoko that they had the full support of the Women’s League.
Then Mandi Chimene, who had publicly called on Mugabe to fire Mnangagwa, startled everyone when she said that she was steadfastly behind the presidium and described Mnangagwa as her “father”.
“I don’t hate VP Mnangagwa, and I have never harboured any ill-feelings against him. He was my boss in the security sector during the liberation struggle. I am too junior to comment on President Mugabe’s relationship with VP Mnangagwa because it dates back many years ago, but my heart bleeds when I see some people trying to pit my two leaders against each other,” she was quoted by The Herald as saying.
Savior Kasukuwere, who is reported to be the mastermind behind the G40 which is fighting to stop Mnangagwa from succeeding Mugabe, was not the outdone. He said that the party would not tolerate “careless remarks” against the party leadership.
“ZANU-PF is based on ideology, very strong ideology and not on factionalism. And we have a leadership in place. Yes, there have been some careless remarks or calls on the leadership to step down. Some we have disciplined, and some we have sat down and told that this cannot be done,” he was quoted by The Sunday Mail as saying.
The question, now is, who is this Mnangagwa?
Here is what people said about him, according to Wikileaks cables dating back to 1988.
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