Mzembi, Hlongwane reach out to Mnangagwa

Former Cabinet ministers Walter Mzembi and Makhosini Hlongwane have joined the bandwagon of praise singers who are falling over each other to curry favour with President Emmerson Mnangagwa after he was confirmed as the country's leader for the next five years.

Mzembi and Hlongwane, who were among the high-fliers before last November's ouster of former president Robert Mugabe, led the flurry of congratulatory messages for Mnangagwa.

Referring to Mnangagwa as "dear brother," Mzembi, a former Foreign Affairs minister, described the recently-concluded elections as "historic".

"The same occasion has heralded the beginning of our journey as a country in what we can now all agree is the Second Republic," he said, while congratulating Mnangagwa's "…assumption of duty as the chief executive officer of the country, but even more importantly on your anointing as the first citizen of Zimbabwe."

Mnangagwa won the July 30 elections by a razor thin margin and although the MDC Alliance led by Nelson Chamisa contested the outcome at the Constitutional Court (Con-Court) citing a litany of alleged flaws, the nine-member bench of the apex court upheld the Zanu-PF leader's victory culminating in Mnangagwa's inauguration on Sunday.

The MDC Alliance snubbed Mnangagwa's swearing-in ceremony and instead has approached the African Commission for Human and People's Rights to register its displeasure with the Con-Court ruling.

Mzembi said he has no doubt that under Mnangagwa's leadership Zimbabweans will be united again.

"The immediate task on hand which you have been doing so well in the aftermath of the elections, is to unite our people in victory with humility and reaching out to sore hearts and the disappointed with magnanimity," said Mzembi.

Hlongwane also wished Mnangagwa a fruitful five years at the helm.

"I extend congratulations to CDE ED Mnangagwa upon his inauguration as President of the Second Republic of Zimbabwe.

"I want to wish His Excellency a productive and peaceful five-year term," he said.

Both Mzembi and Hlongwane tried, albeit with little success to bring Mugabe and Mnangagwa on talking terms but now, the past is seemingly behind as they both try to sweet talk themselves back into the fold.

Unlike Mzembi and Hlongwane, former Higher and Tertiary Education minister Jonathan Moyo pooh-poohed suggestion that Mnangagwa was leading the Second Republic.

"I know only too well that both the election and  Con-Court charades and the consequent inauguration are now behind us, as events.

"But their injustices are still here and won't disappear.

"I feel pity for good Cdes in the system who now must defend the injustices. Thank God, I got out!"