Another Zimbabwe coup looms?

When former President Robert Mugabe was forced out of office by a military intervention in November 2017, the accusations were that he was surrounded by criminals.

In the process of targeting those criminals, Mugabe was forced out of office, a development which one can refer to when analysing recent pronouncements by Zanu-PF youths league boss Pupurai Togarepi.

Togarepi last week came out guns blazing; alleging that incumbent President Emmerson Mnangagwa was also now surrounded by criminals.

The Gutu South Member of Parliament (MP) issued a chilling warning to the 'criminals', telling them to stop sabotaging the Second Republic.

In a public statement, Togarepi said Mnangagwa's Vision 2030 was under siege from economic saboteurs that he claimed were within and outside of Zanu-PF.

"We were hopeful that collectively as a nation, we would change and embrace the Second Republic and its clear vision as enunciated by President Mnangagwa and we had a place for everyone to ride on the train towards making this country a middle income economy by 2030, but all the goodwill is fast dissipating as spoilers get back to their default mode.

"Indeed, the more things change the more they remain the same and that our people especially those in leadership positions, be it in business or civil service are rigid and live in a time warp with criminal mindsets and evil intentions.

"The country has correctional facilities that are ever ready to accommodate criminals, and we have the list of rich criminals who soon will have their day in court and find new homes in places like Chikurubi where they rightly belong," said Togarepi.

Togarepi said a moment of reckoning was coming and there will be no sacred cows when the birds come home to roost.

"A name and shame ceremony is brewing and those who are sabotaging the Second Republic will find themselves in places where they really belong. Forewarned is forearmed. We are aware of these people and some occupy very high offices.

"These people will be unmasked and the full wrath of the law will take its course because we will not allow a few rotten apples to hold the nation at ransom. Restoration is a process that includes total sacrifice and dedication and as a the vanguard of the party we are prepared to bite the bullet and blaze the trail, lest we will be condemned by future generations as the weak link that impended growth and dined with enemies of the republic, both within and outside," said Togarepi.

He said the Zanu-PF youth league will not hesitate to take matters into their own hands to deal with the cartels who are profiteering while the masses suffer.

"Some profiteering elements have created cartels and syndicates that are manipulating the economy and they are earning millions while the broad masses suffer.  We are saying that has to stop or we as the Zanu-PF youth league, we will take the matters into our hands and strip those unscrupulous empires that are being built with stolen money.

"Selfish tendencies by some in both the private and public sectors should be dealt with ruthlessly," said Togarepi.

Togarepi's threats come at a time when the country is groaning under serious economic challenges that have seen all sectors affected with no solution in sight, amid reports of an impending uprising from the long suffering masses.