General Chiwenga guns for presidency

By Faith Zaba

In a new twist to President Robert Mugabe’s unpredictable succession battle, a group of generals in the army disgruntled by Zanu PF’s failure to resolve the issue are reportedly pushing for Zimbabwe Defence Forces Commander Constantine Chiwenga to take over from the ageing leader battling with ill-health.

Impeccable sources told the Zimbabwe Independent that a coterie of commanders, working with Zanu PF politicians, want Chiwenga to retire from the army and enter the fray to succeed Mugabe. Chiwenga –– referred to within military circles as “Zim 2” –– implying he is effectively number two to Mugabe –– is said to be open to the idea of an active role in politics after quitting the army.

Chiwenga has been studying in recent years and this has been seen as part of his preparation for a political career after his quitting the military. He is currently studying for a Master of Arts degree in International Relations at the University of Zimbabwe. Efforts to obtain comment from Chiwenga over the past week were unsuccessful.

However, one general, who preferred anonymity, said: “When the Mugabe era ends, there is a lot of candidates to take over from him, including people like Chiwenga.” Chiwenga’s touting as a potential candidate to replace Mugabe would trigger manoeuvres in Zanu PF as those who have been slugging it out in the protracted power struggle try to defend political ground they have gained so far.

Other contenders in the Mugabe succession race include Defence minister Emmerson Mnangagwa, who is said to have the backing of the military, Vice-President Joice Mujuru, Indigenisation minister Saviour Kasukuwere and Security minister Sydney Sekeremayi.

John Nkomo, who has fought his way up to the Zanu PF presidium defeating Mnangagwa along the way, is also seen as having a distant chance, potentially as a compromise candidate. Information obtained by the Independent after off-the-record briefings with army commanders suggests that Chiwenga could be interested in becoming president after Mugabe.

Chiwenga is one of the senior commanders who support Mugabe to the hilt. A clique of state service chiefs backing Mugabe also includes Police Commissioner-General Augustine Chihuri, Prison Commissioner retired Major-General Paradzai Zimondi, Army Chief of Staff Major-General Martin Chedondo, Brigadier-General David Sigauke and BrigadierGeneral Douglas Nyikayaramba, among others.

Nyikayaramba said last week Mugabe should rule for life and that Tsvangirai would never rule Zimbabwe. He did not indicate who after Mugabe the army wants to see in power.

Sources said the generals want to create a model like that of Botswana whose President, Lieutenant- General Ian Khama, is a former military commander. Khama has, since he took over from Festus Mogae three years ago, handpicked loyal friends from the military and deployed them in top government and party positions.

When he became president in 2008, Khama appointed a former army commander, Lt General Mompati Merafhe, as he deputy. Other former military officers in his cabinet included former army captain Kitso Mokaila, his cousin Dikgakgamatso Ramadeluka, a brigadier who was appointed to the Ministry of Justice, Defence and Security, and Moeng Pheto, a former major-general.

Khama’s militarisation project cascaded down to senior management of the civil service. Informed sources said the generals are fed up with the endless infighting within Zanu PF, which has partly led to Mugabe’s defeat by Prime Minister and MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai in the first round of elections in 2008, and want a change of direction. Chiwenga has described Tsvangirai as a “sellout”.

The army commanders, it is said, believe for Zanu PF to survive going forward they need to intervene with a candidate from their ranks in civilian clothes and halt the party’s slide. Army generals told the Independent this week that Zanu PF’s top leadership was to blame for the party’s waning support, saying the party lost key constituencies in the 2008 parliamentary election because politburo members imposed candidates and were fighting among themselves.

One commander cited the recent example of the politburo’s mess up on its decision to impose the party chairman Simon Khaya Moyo as candidate for the Speaker of Parliament’s post when it was clear that he would not get the full support of all Zanu PF legislators. One top army officer said: “It was wrong to impose SK Moyo for the Speaker’s post.  What we are saying this time round is that it is better to even put huku (a chicken) if it is what the people want and if this ensures that we win,” he said.

“Our aim is to remain in power.  So if huku can win, then we should nominate that huku as our candidate, otherwise if they are not careful and if things don’t go our way, we will take over –– pfuti dzinorira (we will go to war). If they continue to do that (impose candidates), we will not win elections and then they will have created conditions for us to field our own candidate.”

Another general said if Mugabe dies in office, the military would only accept their preferred candidate even though parliament will sit as an electoral college to choose his replacement.

“The Electoral College will sit but if they elect a candidate that we don’t want, we won’t accept it. It depends on which candidate they choose,” the commander said without saying who their preferred candidate is. “We support our commander-in-chief and below him, we have the commander of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, General Chiwenga who is also capable of taking over if needs be”.

Mugabe, in order to maintain control of both the party and the government, has been appointing former military personnel to run the party. Mugabe has also previously appointed retired soldiers to boards and top management posts at parastatals. The army has proved loyal to Mugabe and effective in the political assignments he gave them. It has helped ensure Mugabe’s continued rule, mainly during the presidential elections in 2002 and 2008.

Mugabe views military personnel as loyal to him and this has been shown through statements from top army and security chiefs, who have vowed not to support anyone without liberation war credentials. Zimbabwe Standard