Mnangagwa ally blasts Mugabe over succession comments

By Dylan Murambgi

A top ally to Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa has hit out at President Robert Mugabe’s “mischievous” claims there were no suitable party candidates who could succeed him.

President Mugabe, in power since independence in 1980, was speaking in his birthday interview with the State media.

At 93, President Mugabe is generally thought to be well into the twilight of his career with his Zanu PF allies now becoming impatient with his reluctance to appoint and groom a successor.

But the Zimbabwean leader has said he has not chosen any successor, adding that there was none among his current lieutenants who was acceptable to the party membership.

“The majority of the people feel that there is no replacement; (a) successor who to them is acceptable, as acceptable as I am,” President Mugabe said.

He added: “But the people, you know, would want to judge everyone else on the basis of President Mugabe as the criteria.

“But I have been at it for a longer period than anyone else and leaders will have to be, as it were, given time to develop and to have the ability to meet with the people and to be judged by the people.”

However, some Mnangagwa followers feel the first VP was best to take over.

Among them is former party youth chairman for Mashonaland Central Godfrey Tsenengamu who vowed they will ensure Mnangagwa succeeded the veteran leader.

“That’s adult mischief at its peak,” Tsenengamu said while responding to Mugabe’s comments.

“He knows that he is lying as there are so many capable leaders who can do better than him. He just wants to continue clinging to power while giving his wife a chance to gain ground so that she takes over when he dies. He wants to die in power.

“A successor is there already. Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa is the one we are going to vote for in 2018 but if Mugabe insists and stands as a Zanu PF candidate, then he must know that we are going to spoil the votes in our millions.

“Let him continue to be in denial but he is not doing any good to his family. He must be realistic and step down for the sake of his family.”

Tsenengamu was among some party provincial youth leaders who were last year expelled from the ruling party for publicly denigrating Grace and other top leaders.

The party youths had voiced disapproval with the First Lady Grace Mugabe’s bare-knuckle attacks on Mnangagwa during her controversial provincial rallies.

Grace is linked to the G40 faction in Zanu PF, which is reportedly fighting to block Mnangagwa from succeeding Mugabe. Radio VOP