News / National
Mnangagwa turns mansion into Presidential campaign HQ
26 Mar 2014 at 02:41hrs | Views
Combative Zanu-PF hardliner and justice minister, Emmerson Mnangagwa, has allegedly turned his rural mansion in Zvishavane, into a campaign hub, strategically managing his final assault of grabing power in President Robert Mugabe's soon to be over succession wrestling, The Telescope News reported.
Mnangagwa, according to a senior Zanu-PF politburo member from his faction, who has also been recently promoted into cabinet, is leaving nothing to chance, in his political war of attrition with VP Mujuru, over the hot seat to replace Mugabe at State House.
Hideout shout-out
The justice minister's presidential-like mansion, has just been completed by a Chinese firm to the tune of millions of dollars, from his bottomless pocket, whose wealth is believed to be from his sophisticated mining ventures with many foreign governments and businessmen. Mnangagwa's villa, which is one of many dotted around the country, is located in Dambudzo near Lundi Primary school, just outside Zvishavane, and has been built with materials reportedly supplied from China.
"Most strategic meetings are taking place there (in Zvishavane) sheriff, away from the glare of the press in Harare," said the faction member with confidence that Mnangagwa would prevail as winner for Mugabe's post. "I'm not at liberty to give you the agenda, but to make you aware that we are not sleeping dogs, things are happening, and happening very fast. Why should we go on holiday, when anaMujuru (Joice) are meeting almost every weekend at her farm in Mt Darwin? Where you aware about it?"
However sources close to Zanu-PF Mberengwa East legislator, Makhosini Hlongwane, said Mnangagwa and lieutenants from his camp, including some security services bosses have met at the mansion three times since January 2014, "to forge a roadmap" on scenarios of attaining power and "finishing off" Mujuru, when the right hour comes.
"Previously Mnangagwa, was meeting up with his backers, at his Sherwood farm in Kwekwe, but it was deemed not to be secure enough, and they did not want to raise eyebrows," sources said. "Zvishavane is really an isolated location, and the mansion itself is a high level security zone in the village, protected by private guards and some loyal operatives from the Central Intelligence Organisation. We are told that nowadays even JOC agenda issues, find themselves surfacing at their private meetings, effectively meaning to say national security issues are now intertwined with a need for continuity, with the Mugabe doctrine, which they see only Mnangagwa being capable of spearheading."
The former defence minister is also allegedly getting support, for his bid in succeeding Mugabe from the Chinese and Iranian administrations. As first reported by The Telescope News on 31 January, Beijing is lobbying for Mnangagwa to replace Mugabe ahead of Mujuru due to an array of economic interests they have in the country, spanning from diamond mining, arms trade, to agriculture, which they believe are guaranteed under a Mnangagwa presidency.
Zimbabwe's late defence attache to China, Brigadier General Misheck Tanyanyiwa, who died in December 2013 in Beijing was allegedly acting as middleman for Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) Commander, Constantine Chiwenga and Mnangagwa in power broking, and financial support from China for the latter to occupy the highest office in the country, army officials have disclosed.
Chiwenga is proving to be the most important and influential ally for Mnangagwa outside Zanu-PF, as he has already endorsed the minister as next in line to take over from ailing Mugabe.
Iran on the otherhand, we gather is also favouring a Mnangagwa power reign, after signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the expansion of joint defense cooperation with Harare in 2012, when he was still defence minister. The defense cooperation, is said to be having potential lucrative deals for Tehran, to supply Zimbabwe with military hardware worth millions of dollars. Furthermore, Tehran is looking at reviving a stalled oil deal with Harare, in exchange of special rights to mine Uranium.
Mnangagwa, according to a senior Zanu-PF politburo member from his faction, who has also been recently promoted into cabinet, is leaving nothing to chance, in his political war of attrition with VP Mujuru, over the hot seat to replace Mugabe at State House.
Hideout shout-out
The justice minister's presidential-like mansion, has just been completed by a Chinese firm to the tune of millions of dollars, from his bottomless pocket, whose wealth is believed to be from his sophisticated mining ventures with many foreign governments and businessmen. Mnangagwa's villa, which is one of many dotted around the country, is located in Dambudzo near Lundi Primary school, just outside Zvishavane, and has been built with materials reportedly supplied from China.
"Most strategic meetings are taking place there (in Zvishavane) sheriff, away from the glare of the press in Harare," said the faction member with confidence that Mnangagwa would prevail as winner for Mugabe's post. "I'm not at liberty to give you the agenda, but to make you aware that we are not sleeping dogs, things are happening, and happening very fast. Why should we go on holiday, when anaMujuru (Joice) are meeting almost every weekend at her farm in Mt Darwin? Where you aware about it?"
"Previously Mnangagwa, was meeting up with his backers, at his Sherwood farm in Kwekwe, but it was deemed not to be secure enough, and they did not want to raise eyebrows," sources said. "Zvishavane is really an isolated location, and the mansion itself is a high level security zone in the village, protected by private guards and some loyal operatives from the Central Intelligence Organisation. We are told that nowadays even JOC agenda issues, find themselves surfacing at their private meetings, effectively meaning to say national security issues are now intertwined with a need for continuity, with the Mugabe doctrine, which they see only Mnangagwa being capable of spearheading."
The former defence minister is also allegedly getting support, for his bid in succeeding Mugabe from the Chinese and Iranian administrations. As first reported by The Telescope News on 31 January, Beijing is lobbying for Mnangagwa to replace Mugabe ahead of Mujuru due to an array of economic interests they have in the country, spanning from diamond mining, arms trade, to agriculture, which they believe are guaranteed under a Mnangagwa presidency.
Zimbabwe's late defence attache to China, Brigadier General Misheck Tanyanyiwa, who died in December 2013 in Beijing was allegedly acting as middleman for Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) Commander, Constantine Chiwenga and Mnangagwa in power broking, and financial support from China for the latter to occupy the highest office in the country, army officials have disclosed.
Chiwenga is proving to be the most important and influential ally for Mnangagwa outside Zanu-PF, as he has already endorsed the minister as next in line to take over from ailing Mugabe.
Iran on the otherhand, we gather is also favouring a Mnangagwa power reign, after signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the expansion of joint defense cooperation with Harare in 2012, when he was still defence minister. The defense cooperation, is said to be having potential lucrative deals for Tehran, to supply Zimbabwe with military hardware worth millions of dollars. Furthermore, Tehran is looking at reviving a stalled oil deal with Harare, in exchange of special rights to mine Uranium.
Source - The Telescope News
