News / National
Tsvangirai seeks Emmerson Mnangagwa alliance
11 Jul 2014 at 01:23hrs | Views
COLOGNE- Former Prime minister, Morgan Tsvangirai, has reportedly sent an emissary from his MDC-T party to establish good relations and a fancied political alliance, with Zanu PF heavyweight and Justice minister, Emmerson Mnangagwa, who has now emerged as President Robert Mugabe's definate successor, The Telescope News reported.
According to an MDC-T parliamentarian, knowledgeable about the close-lipped developments inside the party, Tsvangirai has set out to re-invent himself after the recent fallout with his former secretary general, Tendai Biti, now leading the splinter MDC-Renewal Team, by reaching out to Mnangagwa in what appears to be calculated post-Mugabe political gamesmanship for power.
The move, we are told, has been precipitated by Biti and the Renewal Team's suspicious links to a Zanu PF faction aligned to Mugabe, and now believed to be masterminded by first lady, Grace Mugabe, who allegedly is vying for former reserve bank chief, Gideon Gono, to replace her nonagenarian husband from the closet. Gono and Biti, have a working chemistry that developed during the tenure of the inclusive government, where the latter was finance minister.
"We have our own intelligence as a party," said the legislator who represents a high density constituency in the capital. "Biti thought he is good at chess games, but we are several steps ahead in our strategy. It is true that an alliance is being sought with minister Mnangagwa, and it is all for the progress of our nation. This country has been hurting from economic problems, and we do not want to add political chaos to it, when Mugabe goes, because it is now a matter of which hour this is going to happen."
The MP, also revealed that the emissary (name supplied), was also instrumental in negotiating a unity pact with MDC founder members, such as Job Sikhala, who had defected from the labour movement.
"I'm not going to give away too much information, at this infant stage of the process, but contact has been made with Mnangagwa, what follows is classified but at least you are not living in the dark anymore."
According to the online publication, it has it on good authority that Tsvangirai could be angling, to be invited to join a Mnangagwa led government with a senior position for a transitional period, should he sweep to power. Information at hand also suggests that, Tsvangirai might turn out to be a power broker in Zanu PF's wild succession squabbles, that have left the party gnashing with factionalism. Vice President, Joice Mujuru, is also battling to cross the line first, come December when Zanu PF is expected to stage an elective congress, which the Mujuru faction members hopes to pave way, and seal Mujuru's path as next in line to move into Munhumutapa Building.
Tsvangirai sitting at the center, with Mnangagwa to the immediate left
"Zanu PF and the opposition need each other, especially when President Mugabe steps down, to avoid a government crisis," said a Zanu PF source. "There many theories doing the rounds. Some say Mujuru wants another GNU, this time with all opposition party representatives such as Makoni, Tsvangirai and now Biti. Others talk of Gono's sudden rise to the presidency, with Biti as a remote coalition partner, but more seriously is the Mnangagwa and Tsvangirai GNU coalition, which strikes me as the only realistic one, taking into account the fast moving developments in both Zanu PF and MDC-T/MDC-Renewal team. Mujuru has a political base, but that alone is deficient to win power, whereas Mnangagwa has a strong military base, but deficient with political support. This is where I think Tsvangirai might come in to Mnangagwa's favour, because he will bring the popular political base with him."
This is not the first time, that there has been talk about Tsvangirai and Mnangagwa meeting. In 2009, Mugabe was left fuming after he was told about an alleged meeting between Mnangagwa and Tsvangirai at a farm in the Kwekwe area. Kwekwe is a city in the Midlands, which is a stronghold constituency for Mnangagwa. The minister literally has his main operations at his Kwekwe farms and residence.
Mnangagwa, then minister of defence, is said to have met Tsvangirai, who was premiere at the time, to discuss undisclosed issues thought to revolve around a future prime minister offering for Tsvangirai. Mnangagwa is known to have half-jokingly said he would not mind having Tsvangirai as his Prime Minister when he takes over the presidency of Zimbabwe, to his Zanu PF colleagues.
Only last month, Tsvangirai said he would rather have Mujuru or Manangwa emerge to lead the country as opposed to Mugabe clinging on as president, in a tacit admission of bias towards Mnangagwa at a rally in Seke communal lands.
"We must set a clear direction where this country is going, an economic plan that will make industry and farms work," Tsvangirai said. "The issue in Zimbabwe is not economic but political; we need a political plan. No one is going to invest in a country with a 90-year-old leader. Mujuru or Mnangagwa are far much better than him. He must graciously retire now and leave this to others. Zvinotovanani (it's far much better)."
According to an MDC-T parliamentarian, knowledgeable about the close-lipped developments inside the party, Tsvangirai has set out to re-invent himself after the recent fallout with his former secretary general, Tendai Biti, now leading the splinter MDC-Renewal Team, by reaching out to Mnangagwa in what appears to be calculated post-Mugabe political gamesmanship for power.
The move, we are told, has been precipitated by Biti and the Renewal Team's suspicious links to a Zanu PF faction aligned to Mugabe, and now believed to be masterminded by first lady, Grace Mugabe, who allegedly is vying for former reserve bank chief, Gideon Gono, to replace her nonagenarian husband from the closet. Gono and Biti, have a working chemistry that developed during the tenure of the inclusive government, where the latter was finance minister.
"We have our own intelligence as a party," said the legislator who represents a high density constituency in the capital. "Biti thought he is good at chess games, but we are several steps ahead in our strategy. It is true that an alliance is being sought with minister Mnangagwa, and it is all for the progress of our nation. This country has been hurting from economic problems, and we do not want to add political chaos to it, when Mugabe goes, because it is now a matter of which hour this is going to happen."
The MP, also revealed that the emissary (name supplied), was also instrumental in negotiating a unity pact with MDC founder members, such as Job Sikhala, who had defected from the labour movement.
"I'm not going to give away too much information, at this infant stage of the process, but contact has been made with Mnangagwa, what follows is classified but at least you are not living in the dark anymore."
Tsvangirai sitting at the center, with Mnangagwa to the immediate left
"Zanu PF and the opposition need each other, especially when President Mugabe steps down, to avoid a government crisis," said a Zanu PF source. "There many theories doing the rounds. Some say Mujuru wants another GNU, this time with all opposition party representatives such as Makoni, Tsvangirai and now Biti. Others talk of Gono's sudden rise to the presidency, with Biti as a remote coalition partner, but more seriously is the Mnangagwa and Tsvangirai GNU coalition, which strikes me as the only realistic one, taking into account the fast moving developments in both Zanu PF and MDC-T/MDC-Renewal team. Mujuru has a political base, but that alone is deficient to win power, whereas Mnangagwa has a strong military base, but deficient with political support. This is where I think Tsvangirai might come in to Mnangagwa's favour, because he will bring the popular political base with him."
This is not the first time, that there has been talk about Tsvangirai and Mnangagwa meeting. In 2009, Mugabe was left fuming after he was told about an alleged meeting between Mnangagwa and Tsvangirai at a farm in the Kwekwe area. Kwekwe is a city in the Midlands, which is a stronghold constituency for Mnangagwa. The minister literally has his main operations at his Kwekwe farms and residence.
Mnangagwa, then minister of defence, is said to have met Tsvangirai, who was premiere at the time, to discuss undisclosed issues thought to revolve around a future prime minister offering for Tsvangirai. Mnangagwa is known to have half-jokingly said he would not mind having Tsvangirai as his Prime Minister when he takes over the presidency of Zimbabwe, to his Zanu PF colleagues.
Only last month, Tsvangirai said he would rather have Mujuru or Manangwa emerge to lead the country as opposed to Mugabe clinging on as president, in a tacit admission of bias towards Mnangagwa at a rally in Seke communal lands.
"We must set a clear direction where this country is going, an economic plan that will make industry and farms work," Tsvangirai said. "The issue in Zimbabwe is not economic but political; we need a political plan. No one is going to invest in a country with a 90-year-old leader. Mujuru or Mnangagwa are far much better than him. He must graciously retire now and leave this to others. Zvinotovanani (it's far much better)."
Source - www.thetelescopenews.com
