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| Emmerson Mnangagwa |
It
is very cold outside Zanu PF house of misrule especially to those
who spent years enjoying looting the state resources and were ejected
out of the party unceremoniously due to escalating factional fights.
They
find it difficult to make ends meet without stolen resources and
borrowed power they enjoyed coming from the only known leader of
Zimbabwe since gaining independence in 1980. Linkundla
is closely watching and listening the leopard trying to
convince the ducks that it has changed its spots and is no longer
harmful as it has resorted to feeding on grass for the rest of its life.
Themba
Mliswa is now suggesting the removal of his once dear leader
President Robert Mugabe sounding that Vice President Emmerson
Mnangagwa is the best option for Zimbabwe. Mliswa is trying to get an
attention from a man he thinks might be capable to take over the
reigns of power after when Mugabe is long gone so that he crawls back
to the circle of those who have become millionare civil servants by
looting the state resources.
Mliswa
told a group of European Commission representatives at a meeting in
Brussels this week that the best way out of Zimbabwe’s current
problem was for Mugabe to step-down and allow for Mnangagwa to take
charge.
“The
current economic situation can only be resolved if Mugabe steps down
and Mnangagwa takes over. If Mugabe goes, the world is willing to
support any leader in Zimbabwe.
“Mnangagwa
has been at the centre of power for a long time and was the first
chairperson of the Joint Operations Command (JOC), even so he knows
his way around the corridors of power. Mnangagwa is a good and
decisive leader, but as regards marketing himself that should be his
problem.
“Before
we seek money from Europe and other multilateral institutions,
Zimbabwe must return to the Commonwealth,” Mliswa said.
The
former Hurungwe West lawmaker was kicked out of the ruling party in
2014 as part of an internal clean-out spurred by factional fights
over Mugabe’s successor. Mliswa now heads a group known as Youth
Advocacy for Reform and Democracy (Yard) that he says might turn into
a political party ahead of the general elections in 2018.
He
told the European Union commissioners that First Lady Grace Mugabe
was effectively in charge of government, but was meeting stiff
resistance in her bid to control Zanu PF.
“The
First Lady is the de facto President of Zimbabwe working with a group
of young leaders known as G40 in a bid to control the current State
machinery which has proven very difficult. She has met with
resistance from the war veterans and the country’s security who are
still loyal to an ex-combatant.
“The
war veterans and security sector are very clear that Mnangagwa is
their man. In terms of the Unity Accord, Mnangagwa will take over
from Mugabe which makes Zipra’s nominee Phelekezela Mphoko second
VP. Whether we like it or not, he (Mnangagwa) is going to take over
and this is in terms of the Zanu PF constitution,” Mliswa added.
He
said the opposition would need to rally together and take advantage
of former Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s urban power base,
while ex-Vice-President Joice Mujuru needed to concentrate on the
rural vote.
“There
is no need to fish in the same pond. The 2008 figures can show you
that indeed Tsvangirai has the numbers in urban areas. Now Mujuru
needs to focus on the rural vote and my group, Yard, could help. I
have experience having been a legislator in one of these
constituencies,” Mliswa said.
He
said former Cabinet ministers and now opposition leaders Tendai Biti
(People’s Democratic Party), Elton Mangoma (Renewal Democrats of
Zimbabwe) and Welshman Ncube (MDC) would need to coalesce around
Tsvangirai to have any chance of forming the next government.
Linkundla
is conscious that Mliswa is also not antagonizing those
who are oppsing Zanu PF. He is a swinging pendulum and sounds
prepared to fall to any side that will gain power after the fall of
the current status quo. He is sympathetic to Munangagwa and at the
same time mobilising the opposition to unite where he thinks his Yard
could help.