Chiwenga must go or no aid for Mnangagwa's govt, says British MP

A UK legislator has said vice president Constantino Chiwenga must go after post-election violence blamed on the military left seven people dead and several others injured last week.

Opposition critics say Chiwenga is the real power in Harare with Mnangagwa seen as the civilian face of what is effectively a military junta.

Commenting on Twitter Monday, Labour MP Kate Hoey, who also chairs the UK's All-Party Parliamentary Group on Zimbabwe said Chiwenga go, failing which there should be no change the West's policy on Harare.

Said Hoey, "There should be no change to @P_VanDamme_EU or @UKinZimbabwe or American government policies to Zimbabwe government until at the very minimum Chiwenga is removed from his Vice Presidency and his control of the military."

There should be no change to @P_VanDamme_EU or @UKinZimbabwe or American government policies to Zimbabwe government until at the very minimum Chiwenga is removed from his Vice Presidency and his control of the military @mdczimbabwe @advocatemahere

— Kate Hoey (@KateHoeyMP) August 6, 2018

Hoey's remarks come after the UK said it was deeply concerned about the post-election violence in Zimbabwe and the disproportionate response of the authorities.

"We have urged all parties to work together to ensure calm," Harriett Baldwin, minister of state for Africa, said in a statement.

"It is vital that any appeals against the results or the process are handled swiftly and impartially"