Zimbabwe coup 'god-sanctioned' claims Mnangagwa

PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa has said the political transition that forced former President Robert Mugabe to resign under military pressure in November last year was sanctioned by God.

Mnangagwa made the claims while addressing members of the Bishop Nehemiah Mutendi-led Zion Christian Church (ZCC) at the National Sports Stadium in Harare yesterday, pleading for their support in the forthcoming elections due this year.

He said the African continent had saluted the Zimbabwe military and the people for staging a peaceful transition under the military-led Operation Restore Legacy that ushered in his rule, but was quick to point out that transition was led by God.

"I was at the African Union summit attended by African Heads of State. The chairman of the AU applauded Zimbabwe, they applauded you, the armed forces and all the citizens of Zimbabwe; that you managed to have a transition peacefully," Mnangagwa said.

"This shows that this was not led by any person made of flesh. It [peaceful transition] succeeded because it was led by God.

"So, today, I assure you that I and those making my leadership, we will continue to remember that you said we should lead you and we will remain your servants, ruling according to your wishes, not ours."

Mnangagwa's utterances fly in the face of claims by former Higher Education minister Jonathan Moyo that the military operation was a coup and not as peaceful as the world was hoodwinked into believing.

Moyo, together with other members of the vanquished G40 faction, have sent a 79-page document to the AU detailing how Mugabe was forced to resign by the military, demanding that the continental body dispatch a fact-finding mission to the country rather than endorse the operation basing on what the "coup plotters" say.

Mnangagwa said Zimbabwe has a strong Christian foundation and his government will work to uphold the values of the church in ensuring that peace, love, unity and forgiveness exists in the country.

"Zimbabwe is a Christian nation; let us help each other preach peace, unity, love and forgiveness. The religion of this country should be love, peace, unity and forgivemness."

He urged people to be peaceful ahead of the forthcoming elections, saying the country was a constitutional democracy that valued differences of opinions.

"But when you vote, think critically ask yourself about the history of the party. What the party has done before to liberate the country. Once you have the answer, then you know Zanu-PF is the party to vote for," Mnangagwa said.

Giving an example of the Biblical Solomon, who was given an instruction by God to shun corruption, Mnangagwa urged the church to shun graft and also act as ambassadors to lure international investors in the country in order to build the economy that has succumbed to the years it was under Western-sponsored sanctions.

He charmed the church by pledging government support and also promised to provide it with land to build a university as earlier promised.

One of the church members described Mnangagwa as the Biblical Joseph sent by God and given wisdom to lead the country. He said Mnangagwa survived many death scares because God had a plan for him, the plan to make him ruler of Zimbabwe.

The ZCC promised to support Mnangagwa's government.

Mnangagwa was accompanied by his two deputies Constantino Chiwenga and Kembo Mohadi as well as many government ministers, politburo members and MPs.