Vice President Joice Mujuru under siege

By Itai Mushekwe

Vice President, Joice Mujuru is under political siege as her Zanu PF foes and some elements in the military have partnered to elbow her out of the party’s presidium, while effectively laying the ground to push her away from becoming President Robert Mugabe’s successor, Nehanda Radio can reveal.

The country’s first female deputy president, is also said to be fearing not only for her political career, but her life as Mugabe’s succession race will now be resolved in a matter of months, putting the lives of many party officials at grave risk, as plots and counter plots, to replace Mugabe intensify.

Not a game anymore

A Zanu PF politburo member, who is also a cabinet minister this week gave Nehanda Radio briefings on the latest developments, which are “very complicated and dangerous”, and provided key names to a speculated “shadow cabinet in waiting” belonging to a faction aligned to defence minister, Emmerson Mnangagwa, in the event that they manage to eventually win control of Munhumutapa building.

Mujuru and Mnangagwa have been tussling to outfox each other, in taking over from Mugabe for close to a decade, and the race is all but almost reaching its decisive and conclusive stages, with the country’s security services chiefs coming in to influence the outcome of this political skirmish from behind the curtains.

As Nehanda Radio first reported on June 25, Mugabe is under severe pressure to appoint Mnangagwa as his heir apparent, immediately after the explosive presidential polls, expected by the end of the month and no later than August 14.

Observers contend that, this plebiscite is arguably the most important in the country’s history since Independence in 1980, as it will shape the political dynamics of a post Mugabe era.

It is thought by insiders the ailing veteran leader, is likely to hand full reign to his “successor” in Zanu PF and government within the first six months of his term, to allow him retirement amid growing alarm and concern over his health.

To quit or not

Mujuru it has also come to light, might consider leaving active politics, if Mugabe fails to protect her from her hawkish party rivals, all of who are currently holding very powerful civilian office.

“For the purpose of staying influential, and being covered against political reprisals, she will certainly fight to remain in the politburo should she fail to wrestle control of the party,” the minister said.

“Mujuru is in serious stress, because party rivals and some generals are leaving no stone unturned in their fresh onslaught on her career. They are now deliberately targeting her family businesses and Solomon’s business empire, to weaken her faction’s financial resources capabilities. Minister Saviour Kasukuwere is looking into that.”

The Mujuru family is among the wealthiest in the country, with businesses virtually in all key sectors of the economy. The late army general and husband to the VP, owned a blue-chip diamond firm, River Ranch diamond mine in Beitbridge. Another big company where Mujuru holds an interest, is the Zimbabwe Mining and Smelting Company (Zimasco) in KweKwe.

So serious is the assault on Mujuru’s family fortunes, that government players are keen to also nationalise a private game reserve in Kariba, which is believed to have been another secret business venture owned by Solomon.

An official of the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Authority’s Lake Kariba Recreational Park office, declined to disclose the name of the game reserve, only hinting that it was almost similar but smaller to the Matusadona game reserve also found in Kariba. Matusadona is rated as one of the most impressive game reserves in the world by international travel tours.

The politburo member told Nehanda Radio that another motivation behind the siege on Mujuru, is the suspicion in high political ranks within the army that, she is determined to have those responsible for the death of her husband prosecuted.

“If this lady becomes president, it will be hell on earth for those behind Rex Nhongo’s death. It is known that the matter is not over, and Joice is eager to pursue a fresh case, with new evidence the family has gathered through private forensic experts from South Africa.”

Reconfiguration

The Mnangagwa faction, has set its eyes on reconfiguring the party, Zanu PF sources have also revealed. One of their chief targets is secretary for administration, Didymus Mutasa, who has surfaced as the mastermind in Mujuru’s camp.

“If they had it their way, Mutasa was going to be fired yesterday,” our informants said. “They still want to kick him out of the party, if he fails to win in Headlands because technically he would have lost the godfather title of Manicaland.

“Mugabe came to the rescue, because Mutasa was not going to win the right to represent Zanu PF in this constituency, due to the popularity of Christopher Chingosho.

“The politburo had to bar Chingosho to protect Mutasa, because he was certain to face humiliation in primary elections. Patrick Chinamasa, is the new kid on the block, poised to take over from Mutasa if things work according to their plan. Purges are also looming for Rugare Gumbo and Simon Khaya-Moyo.”

Gumbo and Khaya Moyo are also strong allies of Mujuru. Despite media reports about Mutasa’s lobby for the Zanu PF chairmanship, Nehanda Radio has also been told that the defence minister’s faction wants Chinamasa to take up the post.

Plans are also being mooted to isolate and frustrate Khaya Moyo, while keeping him at bay and making sure that he doesn’t rise to Vice President.

Shadow cabinet

Below is a list of a speculated cabinet-in-waiting from the Mnangagwa faction, which we were provided with. None of the faction members was willing to shed light on the issue, with one of them saying:

“You should be more curious about President Robert Mugabe’s new cabinet after we win the elections, because Tsvangirai is losing and will soon be a groundsman at Avondale Primary School.”

Tsvangirai owns a modest home in Strathaven which is located in the Avondale West suburb in Harare.

President- Emmerson Mnangagwa

First Vice President- Sydney Sekeramayi

Second Vice President- Oppah Muchinguri

Speaker of Parliament- Patrick Chinamasa

Zimbabwe Defence Forces Commander (ZDF)- Constantine Chiwenga

Minister of State Security- Augustine Chihuri 

Minister of Defence- Saviour Kasukuwere 

Minister of Information and Communications- Jonathan Moyo 

Zimbabwe National Army Commander (ZNA) Douglas Nyikayaramba

Mujuru has since met Mugabe over the issue of the intra-party war against her, in particular a campaign by the Zanu PF Women’s League, to have Oppah Muchinguri, replace her as the new female Vice President when the party calls for a congress.

The Women’s League, is arguing that the post must be rotational, and nobody must stay in office for more than 10 years, so as to empower more women into high political office, sources told Nehanda Radio.