News / National
Mnangagwa behind Grace Mugabe's Zanu-PF Politburo rise?
30 Jul 2014 at 02:32hrs | Views
Ever-scheming Justice minister, Emmerson Mnangagwa, is reportedly the brains behind Grace Mugabe's shock rise to the powerful position of Zanu-PF Women's League leader designate, as he moves to finally crush Vice President, Joice Mujuru for standing in his way to take over from President Robert Mugabe quite possibly before an elective party Congress in December, The Telescope News reported.
The Telescope News said it is publishing with sure confidence and fair evidence, that Mnangagwa has already won the race to succeed Mugabe, after earning endorsement from the country's hardline security chiefs recently. Mnangagwa has also made a secret gentlemen's agreement with Mugabe to take power at the most appropriate time, and is alleged to be running a parallel government already, through his leadership of the shadowy Joint Operations Command (JOC).
JOC brings together key state security organs, such as the army, police, intelligence and prisons. Influential power brokers such as Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) Commander, Constantine Chiwenga and police boss Augustine Chihuri sit on JOC and are both die-hard allies of Mnangagwa, who is suspected of using the organ to reherse for State power.
Information at hand suggests that, Mnangagwa and his inner circle started courting the First Lady to fill the position of being, the Women's League boss in 2013, during Zanu-PF star rallies in particular after she addressed thousands of supporters during a star Gweru rally, in the Midlands Province, itself a political turf and island for the minister, who has been referred to as "Ngwena" or crocodile for his ruthlessness when it comes to grabbing opportunities,tough politics and containing his foes using his wealthly intelligence background as a former spy and one time personal bodyguard of Mugabe.
"Our journalists are sometimes withholding information from the public sphere for their own reasons," said a cabinet source yesterday evening. "The nomination of Grace Mugabe was not hastily made. Actually we know Mnangagwa worked out a plan involving out-going Women's Laegue leader, Oppah Muchinguri, to entice the First Lady to fill in the post after the Gweru star rally last year, when we were preparing for presidential elections. The whole thing is about ousting Vice President, Joice Mujuru, who was evidently caught by surprise when the announcement was made last week. Mujuru was not aware of it, nor was she invited to the Mazowe gathering. To show that she is offended, she has not publicly congratulated the president's wife."
The Telescope News, understands Muchinguri has been promised the post of Zanu-PF secretary for administration, currently held by Mujuru's number one ally, Didymus Mutasa, when the party meets in December. Mutasa is believed to be targeting the Zanu-PF chairmanship, but the Mnangagwa camp reportedly wants information minister, Jonathan Moyo, to occupy the position.
Our cabinet source said the clever move by Mnangagwa's backers of roping Grace Mugabe into the Women's League and simultenously into the politburo , has cast the Mujuru camp into limbo, as it is reeling in crisis.
Crisis
Mutasa told a local weekly this week, that Grace Mugabe's entry into the political arena had nothing to do with reported efforts to stonewall Mujuru from ascending to the presidency.
"I don't see how Amai Mujuru is connected to the rise of amai (First Lady). In any case, there is no vacancy in the office of the president, it is occupied by Cde Mugabe," Mutasa was reported as having said.
"So we cannot talk about amai (First Lady)'s nomination as a bid to block Amai Mujuru to ascend because there is no vacancy to talk about. We will only talk about that when a vacancy arises and as of now, we can't be talking about that. We will cross the bridge when we get there."
Déjà vu
The latest developments inside the Zanu-PF Women's League, now appear a déjà vu of November 2004, when the league was arm-twisted by the late General Solomon Mujuru, a powerful power broker at the time, to elevate her wife Joice into becoming VP from the remote ministry of water resources, under the guise of a quota calling for equal representation of women inside the Zanu-PF presidium.
Likewise, Mnangagwa has played almost a similar trick of invisibly lobbying the Women's League, to promote the First Lady into leadership, so she can now become a new political baffer in casting concrete on Mujuru's chance's of ascending to the next stop, party insiders contend.
Mnangagwa was left with egg on face, almost a decade ago when the chance to become vice president, was snatched away from him by his long time rival, the late General Mujuru. The minister's political career suffered a major setback, resulting in the suspension of many of his faction members, and dismissal of Moyo who was accused of plotting, what infamously became known as The Tsholotsho Declaration or Coup, allegedly hatched to stop Mujuru's rise to VP, while reconfiguring Zanu-PF's ethnic politics.
Second to Mugabe
Only last week, Mnangagwa appeared to have also made a step closer to the country's hot seat, by using the Youth League, to endorse him and his Zanu-PF seniority as second to Mugabe.
Edson Chakanyuka, the deputy youth league leader, in introducing Mnangagwa at a belated 21st February Movement celebrations at Kaguvi Training Centre near Gweru, said the justice minister was not only the leading politician in the Midlands, but was second to Mugabe nationally.
"He is our leader in the province and we don't expect anyone else to come to this province and claim leadership. Our leader here (Mnangagwa) is only second to Mugabe. He has no other leaders ahead of him except Mugabe," Chakanyuka said.
However, Zanu-PF spokesman, Rugare Gumbo immediately poured water on the remarks by the youth leader. Gumbo is always at loggerheads with Mnangagwa over leadership and seniority of the Midlands, were they both hail from.
"The top hierarchy or presidium comprises President Mugabe, followed by Mai Mujuru, then SK (Simon Khaya Moyo) as the national chairman, then Didymus Mutasa. All the misguided members who are making the blurred claims are nowhere near the top leadership. They might be in the politburo, central committee or hold influential positions somewhere, but we are not even looking at them," Gumbo told a British- based Zimbabwean publication.
The Mujuru faction is expected to re-group and strategise on counter measures, to remain in contention of succeeding Mugabe, possibly at Mujuru's Ruwa residence or at her Mt Darwin backyard anytime soon, sources said.
The Telescope News said it is publishing with sure confidence and fair evidence, that Mnangagwa has already won the race to succeed Mugabe, after earning endorsement from the country's hardline security chiefs recently. Mnangagwa has also made a secret gentlemen's agreement with Mugabe to take power at the most appropriate time, and is alleged to be running a parallel government already, through his leadership of the shadowy Joint Operations Command (JOC).
JOC brings together key state security organs, such as the army, police, intelligence and prisons. Influential power brokers such as Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) Commander, Constantine Chiwenga and police boss Augustine Chihuri sit on JOC and are both die-hard allies of Mnangagwa, who is suspected of using the organ to reherse for State power.
Information at hand suggests that, Mnangagwa and his inner circle started courting the First Lady to fill the position of being, the Women's League boss in 2013, during Zanu-PF star rallies in particular after she addressed thousands of supporters during a star Gweru rally, in the Midlands Province, itself a political turf and island for the minister, who has been referred to as "Ngwena" or crocodile for his ruthlessness when it comes to grabbing opportunities,tough politics and containing his foes using his wealthly intelligence background as a former spy and one time personal bodyguard of Mugabe.
"Our journalists are sometimes withholding information from the public sphere for their own reasons," said a cabinet source yesterday evening. "The nomination of Grace Mugabe was not hastily made. Actually we know Mnangagwa worked out a plan involving out-going Women's Laegue leader, Oppah Muchinguri, to entice the First Lady to fill in the post after the Gweru star rally last year, when we were preparing for presidential elections. The whole thing is about ousting Vice President, Joice Mujuru, who was evidently caught by surprise when the announcement was made last week. Mujuru was not aware of it, nor was she invited to the Mazowe gathering. To show that she is offended, she has not publicly congratulated the president's wife."
The Telescope News, understands Muchinguri has been promised the post of Zanu-PF secretary for administration, currently held by Mujuru's number one ally, Didymus Mutasa, when the party meets in December. Mutasa is believed to be targeting the Zanu-PF chairmanship, but the Mnangagwa camp reportedly wants information minister, Jonathan Moyo, to occupy the position.
Our cabinet source said the clever move by Mnangagwa's backers of roping Grace Mugabe into the Women's League and simultenously into the politburo , has cast the Mujuru camp into limbo, as it is reeling in crisis.
Crisis
Mutasa told a local weekly this week, that Grace Mugabe's entry into the political arena had nothing to do with reported efforts to stonewall Mujuru from ascending to the presidency.
"I don't see how Amai Mujuru is connected to the rise of amai (First Lady). In any case, there is no vacancy in the office of the president, it is occupied by Cde Mugabe," Mutasa was reported as having said.
"So we cannot talk about amai (First Lady)'s nomination as a bid to block Amai Mujuru to ascend because there is no vacancy to talk about. We will only talk about that when a vacancy arises and as of now, we can't be talking about that. We will cross the bridge when we get there."
Déjà vu
The latest developments inside the Zanu-PF Women's League, now appear a déjà vu of November 2004, when the league was arm-twisted by the late General Solomon Mujuru, a powerful power broker at the time, to elevate her wife Joice into becoming VP from the remote ministry of water resources, under the guise of a quota calling for equal representation of women inside the Zanu-PF presidium.
Likewise, Mnangagwa has played almost a similar trick of invisibly lobbying the Women's League, to promote the First Lady into leadership, so she can now become a new political baffer in casting concrete on Mujuru's chance's of ascending to the next stop, party insiders contend.
Mnangagwa was left with egg on face, almost a decade ago when the chance to become vice president, was snatched away from him by his long time rival, the late General Mujuru. The minister's political career suffered a major setback, resulting in the suspension of many of his faction members, and dismissal of Moyo who was accused of plotting, what infamously became known as The Tsholotsho Declaration or Coup, allegedly hatched to stop Mujuru's rise to VP, while reconfiguring Zanu-PF's ethnic politics.
Second to Mugabe
Only last week, Mnangagwa appeared to have also made a step closer to the country's hot seat, by using the Youth League, to endorse him and his Zanu-PF seniority as second to Mugabe.
Edson Chakanyuka, the deputy youth league leader, in introducing Mnangagwa at a belated 21st February Movement celebrations at Kaguvi Training Centre near Gweru, said the justice minister was not only the leading politician in the Midlands, but was second to Mugabe nationally.
"He is our leader in the province and we don't expect anyone else to come to this province and claim leadership. Our leader here (Mnangagwa) is only second to Mugabe. He has no other leaders ahead of him except Mugabe," Chakanyuka said.
However, Zanu-PF spokesman, Rugare Gumbo immediately poured water on the remarks by the youth leader. Gumbo is always at loggerheads with Mnangagwa over leadership and seniority of the Midlands, were they both hail from.
"The top hierarchy or presidium comprises President Mugabe, followed by Mai Mujuru, then SK (Simon Khaya Moyo) as the national chairman, then Didymus Mutasa. All the misguided members who are making the blurred claims are nowhere near the top leadership. They might be in the politburo, central committee or hold influential positions somewhere, but we are not even looking at them," Gumbo told a British- based Zimbabwean publication.
The Mujuru faction is expected to re-group and strategise on counter measures, to remain in contention of succeeding Mugabe, possibly at Mujuru's Ruwa residence or at her Mt Darwin backyard anytime soon, sources said.
Source - www.thetelescopenews.com
