Mnangagwa best candidate to succeed Mugabe, Mliswa tells EU

Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa is the best candidate to succeed President Robert Mugabe, who can still be removed through a no-confidence vote by the ruling party's central committee, former Zanu-PF Mashonaland West provincial chairman Temba Mliswa has said.

Mliswa told a group of European Commission representatives at a meeting in Brussels this week that the best way out of Zimbabwe's current problem was for Mugabe to step-down and allow for Mnangagwa to take charge.

"The current economic situation can only be resolved if Mugabe steps down and Mnangagwa takes over. If Mugabe goes, the world is willing to support any leader in Zimbabwe.

"Mnangagwa has been at the centre of power for a long time and was the first chairperson of the Joint Operations Command (JOC), even so he knows his way around the corridors of power. Mnangagwa is a good and decisive leader, but as regards marketing himself that should be his problem.

"Before we seek money from Europe and other multilateral institutions, Zimbabwe must return to the Commonwealth," Mliswa said.

The former Hurungwe West lawmaker was kicked out of the ruling party in 2014 as part of an internal clean-out spurred by factional fights over Mugabe's successor. Mliswa now heads a group known as Youth Advocacy for Reform and Democracy (Yard) that he says might turn into a political party ahead of the general elections in 2018.

He told the European Union commissioners that First Lady Grace Mugabe was effectively in charge of government, but was meeting stiff resistance in her bid to control Zanu-PF.

"The First Lady is the de facto President of Zimbabwe working with a group of young leaders known as G40 in a bid to control the current State machinery which has proven very difficult. She has met with resistance from the war veterans and the country's security who are still loyal to an ex-combatant.

"The war veterans and security sector are very clear that Mnangagwa is their man. In terms of the Unity Accord, Mnangagwa will take over from Mugabe which makes Zipra's nominee Phelekezela Mphoko second VP. Whether we like it or not, he (Mnangagwa) is going to take over and this is in terms of the Zanu-PF constitution," Mliswa added.

He said the opposition would need to rally together and take advantage of former Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's urban power base, while ex-Vice-President Joice Mujuru needed to concentrate on the rural vote.

"There is no need to fish in the same pond. The 2008 figures can show you that indeed Tsvangirai has the numbers in urban areas. Now Mujuru needs to focus on the rural vote and my group, Yard, could help. I have experience having been a legislator in one of these constituencies," Mliswa said.

He said former Cabinet ministers and now opposition leaders Tendai Biti (People's Democratic Party), Elton Mangoma (Renewal Democrats of Zimbabwe) and Welshman Ncube (MDC) would need to coalesce around Tsvangirai to have any chance of forming the next government.