Mnangagwa gets China's Xi Jinping endorsement for President

Vice President, Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, has received a major political boost, to succeed President Robert Mugabe, as next in line to power, amid reports that Chinese leader, Xi Jinping, has reportedly endorsed his succession to replace Mugabe, as the most suitable candidate, trusted to guard Beijing's cocktail of interests in the country, The Telescope News reported.

This publication has been pronto with otherwise, very difficult details to attain around Mugabe's near political exit, with the Chinese hand now openly showing, following media disclosures, first reported here on 4 February 2015, that Jinping is likely to visit Zimbabwe before the end of the year, to show support for Mnangagwa and endorse him as the Asian giant's favoured politician to manage Mugabe's transition.

Mnangagwa, as we stated on Monday is on the verge of becoming Zimbabwe's Second Republic President anytime from now, following confirmation from our Zanu PF sources, that his power ascendancy, is as good as a done deal.

"I have received confidential briefing from our capital, that China's President, Xi Jinping, has now officially endorsed your vice president, Mr Mnangagwa to succeed Mr Robert Mugabe," said a reliable Asian diplomat in Harare late last night. "It is under this backdrop, that he will likely be traveling to Harare, at some point this year. Firstly to show Beijing's support for Mr Mugabe's African Union chairmanship, but more importantly to show approval of Mr Mnangagwa, who has a long relationship with China, dating back to the days he received military training there, before Zimbabwe's Independence."

The diplomat also indicated that China might dole out a massive loan during Jinping's state visit, to enable Harare to stabilise the economy and secure food security, amid growing suspicion that there are external forces sympathetic to former vice president, Joice Mujuru, and main opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, bent on exploiting the deteriorating situation to force civilian riots and mass protests against Mugabe and Zanu PF.

Zanu PF has constantly pointed fingers at Washington and London, for being responsible, in fueling political instability, in an alleged bid to foment so called regime change.

A government source for a weekly private newspaper in Harare, early this month also confirmed that Jinping would be coming as per the tradition of Chinese leaders who visit countries whose heads of state and government would have earlier been invited to China, as was the case last year with Mugabe.

"It is the tradition that Chinese leaders make return visits to countries whose leaders they would have hosted the previous year," said the government official. "We expect it to be no different with Zimbabwe after the president was invited there last August. We also hope the visit will bring finality to the high-level engagements which are aimed at turning the memorandums signed last year into concrete agreements that will breathe life into the economy."

The Telescope News, accurately reported last September that Mugabe had discussed, his controversial succession power handover to Mnangagwa during his much publicised Beijing visit in August 2014, seeking funds and investments for the economy from Jinping's administration. Mugabe is said, to have met Jinping in a closed door evening meeting, a day after he arrived in China, which was not disclosed to both Zimbabwean and Chinese media.

In another tacit exposure of Beijing's excitement about Mnangagwa taking over, Chinese Vice President Li Yuanchao, was the first foreign leader to immediately sent a congratulatory message, soon after Mnangagwa was appointed VP last December.

The Telescope News, also has it on good account that apart from China, Mnangagwa has allegedly drummed up support for his power bid with/and has the endorsement of Iran, Israel, and the United Arab Emirates.