Mugabe minister calls for military coup as Zimbabwe burns

Shuvai Mahofa, the provincial minister for Masvingo, has urged Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) commander, Constantine Chiwenga to lead a military coup d’état against President Robert Mugabe’s government.

Mahofa is linked to a Zanu PF faction, Team Lacoste, which is said to be led by Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa who however insists he is not part of the camp.

Chiwenga is also believed to be part of the Mnangagwa outfit that is angling to take over from Mugabe, 92 and recently described by war veterans as too old.

Mahofa early this week spoke at a function to hand over an army-built clinic at Chingwizi in Mwenezi where victims of a flood were relocated two years ago and rapped fellow party politicians for failing to deliver to the people.

“So, today I simply want to tell Chiwenga that don’t listen to us politicians. We are big mouthed and our words can destroy the nation.

“You are the owners of the nation. I urge you today to take control of the nation because you are the same people who brought it to where it is today,” said Mahofa, in an address that has been interpreted as calling for a military takeover.

The delegation at the ceremony included Health minister, David Parirenyatwa, the acting defence secretary, Peter Muchakati and Masvingo 4 Brigade commander, Exobius Chuma.

The army has been reported to be backing rebel war veterans who recently issued a communique calling on the 92 year-old Mugabe to go for being a “genocidal dictator” who had run down the country.

Mugabe and his wife, Grace, have in the past accused generals of dabbling in Zanu PF succession wars and attempting to bomb the first family’s dairy farm. Nehanda Radio