Zimbabwe opposition party in shock Mnangagwa endorsement

Two weeks after criticising the government and the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) for setting excessive candidate nomination fees, the Zimbabwe Republicans Front (ZRF) endorsed President Emmerson Mnangagwa's candidature.

On June 7, 2023, ZRF went public, soliciting well-wishers for donations to pay nomination fees for its candidates.

In a surprising turn of events, ZRF claims that, while their constitutional rights were violated by failing to pay the nomination fees, President Mnangwawa was the best candidate to support in the upcoming elections because his tenure demonstrated he was on the right track, but saboteurs were stalling his progress.

"We arrived on this decision, not out of duress but after consulting our republicans and provincial leaders. Provincial leaders voted among themselves who to support in the elections. We reached a consensus and will support President ED Mnagagwa," ZRF president Fanuel Lisenga said while addressing a press conference on Friday.

Lisenga stated he could not run for president since he was 39 years old, which was less than the constitutionally mandated age of 40.

"Provincial leaders chose between two candidates, that is one main opposition leader, which is Nelson Chamisa and President Mnangagwa from the ruling Zanu-PF party to allow democratic process to avail," he said.

"All the 10 provinces voted and gave reasons why they chose the particular candidate. In a nutshell, they said while Chamisa has a key and pivotal role to play in the future of Zimbabwe, he did not have experience of running the economy like Mnangagwa. Mnangagwa is much more experienced and a tested leader who has seen it all."

The ZRF leader claimed in an environment where there were no ‘economic saboteurs and the runaway inflation,' President Mnangagwa could deliver more for Zimbabwe.

"Some of the other reasons the provincial leaders highlighted was to look at the greater part of the five year tenure about to end now. The party said ED and his government managed to deliver, and registered tangible progress in those five years until only a few months when economic saboteurs infringed on him," Lisenga claimed.

"The provincial leaders said civil salaries were actually on the right track but losing value because of the runaway inflation we are experiencing now. He has brought in Foreign Direct Investment and infrastructure. They said ED, if not sabotaged and if sanctions were removed, can effectively deliver."

It was due to these reasons that Lisenga was endorsing President Mnangagwa to rule for the next five years.

"It is quite clear that he is going to win resoundingly, as us Republicans we are in all corners and we are adding on to his votes," he said.

Analysts, however, claimed such endorsements from opposition parties showed these political outfits were formed to divert people's attention.

"These are briefcase parties that have a mission of confusing people. The reasons cited for supporting Mnangagwa are actually the reasons why a majority of Zimbabweans are struggling and his use of the term ED indicates that he is part of those who hero-worship Mnangagwa to receive favours," said political analyst Bernard Magugu.

"The fact that the party was also formed in 2022 is suspicious as it was just coming in, trying to divert people's focus ahead of this year's elections."

This endorsement also comes after another opposition party the Economic Freedom Fighters -EFF Zimbabwe said it would not field a presidential candidate but was rallying behind ‘like-minded' candidates such as Zanu-PF's Mnangawa since both parties shared pan-African alliances.