News / National
Grace Mugabe's arrest might backfire for Mnangagwa
31 Mar 2018 at 06:54hrs | Views
Liberation war fighters are piling pressure on President Emmerson Mnangagwa to arrest former first lady Grace Mugabe over her attainment of a doctorate degree under controversial circumstances but analysts have cautioned that any punitive action against the first family might backfire for Zanu-PF at the polls.
Analysts think that Mnangagwa cannot move against the former first family now as that would hurt Zanu-PF in the forthcoming elections.
They said the threats coming from government targeted at the Mugabes were more of sabre-rattling and designed to remind the former president and his wife that things have changed with the aim of silencing them.
Professor of World Politics at the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London in the United Kingdom, Stephen Chan, said Mnangagwa was better advised to leave Mugabe in peace.
"It should wait till after the elections have accorded it full constitutional legitimacy, and then take action through the courts. Even in the case of the Mugabes, there needs to be a new page with rule of law and transparent procedure," said Chan.
After the military arm-twisted Mugabe into resigning in November last year, Mnangagwa was elected Zanu-PF leader and subsequently sworn-in on the 24th of the same month as the country's second executive president.
Although he promised to protect Mugabe's legacy, Mnangagwa is now seemingly growing impatient with his former master with his loyalists pushing for his expulsion or even arrest.
Analysts think that Mnangagwa cannot move against the former first family now as that would hurt Zanu-PF in the forthcoming elections.
They said the threats coming from government targeted at the Mugabes were more of sabre-rattling and designed to remind the former president and his wife that things have changed with the aim of silencing them.
Professor of World Politics at the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London in the United Kingdom, Stephen Chan, said Mnangagwa was better advised to leave Mugabe in peace.
"It should wait till after the elections have accorded it full constitutional legitimacy, and then take action through the courts. Even in the case of the Mugabes, there needs to be a new page with rule of law and transparent procedure," said Chan.
After the military arm-twisted Mugabe into resigning in November last year, Mnangagwa was elected Zanu-PF leader and subsequently sworn-in on the 24th of the same month as the country's second executive president.
Although he promised to protect Mugabe's legacy, Mnangagwa is now seemingly growing impatient with his former master with his loyalists pushing for his expulsion or even arrest.
Source - dailynews
