Zanu PF congress…. another bloodless coup against Mnangagwa on the way – Don Chigumba

By Don Chigumba

Instead of hosting 16000 delegates at ZANU PF national extraordinary congress of 2017, the party leadership saw it fit to cut the number of delegates to 6000.

The media also claimed that the proposed budget of eight million dollars  has been reduced to one million dollars and the congress is supposed to be held within 24 hours. The purpose of this piece is to support the view that, reducing the number of delegates to attend the extraordinary congress is a political suicide being committed ahead of the 2018 national elections.

Where is the power of President Mnangagwa and ZANU PF coming from? There is a Shona dictum that goes, ‘the power of fish is in water’. I totally agree, the power of politicians is in people. The power of President Mnangagwa is neither from the people of  Zimbabwe nor there.

The power of President Mnangagwa is from the barracks, this is an opportune time for President Mnangagwa to meet the people. The ZANU PF extraordinary congress of 2017 is a wasted opportunity for the incoming President of the Republic.

If was an adviser of President Mnangagwa, I was going to tell him to propose more than 30 thousand delegates and get the opportunity to interact with the masses from the entire country not only for 24hrs, but even 5 days. As I said before, President Mnangagwa was not elected by people at the previous ZANU PF national congress.

He was given power via appointment by Mr. Mugabe and his power as a Vice President of the Republic was not from the people, that is why I am convinced that President Mnangagwa has never been tested by the people, failure to meet a good number of delegates at the extraordinary congress of 2017 is a systematic bloodless coup being planned by unholy leaders in ZANU PF.

Is President Mnangagwa popular among the Zimbabweans? My answer is a BIG NO. In Zimbabwe, only Mr. Mugabe and MDC-T leader Mr. Tsvangirai are known by the masses from across the country. Despite being supported by ZANU PF, President  Mnangagwa’s support base and popularity in Zimbabwe should be far less than that of Mr. Tsvangirai and it is obvious that Mr. Mugabe is leading in terms of being known by people coming from the remote areas of Zimbabwe.

Mr. Tsvangirai’s popularity in remote areas was promoted by Mr. Mugabe, wherever Mr. Mugabe used to address rallies, the first person to attack was Mr. Tsvangirai, that is why he is being labeled by rural people as ‘Chematama, Tsvangson or Mutengesi’. What Mr. Tsvangirai should do is to go and tell the rural people that ‘Mugabe is gone and vote for me, I have inherited the double potion of his spirit’.

Reducing the number of congregants to 6000 is a political mistake done deliberately to stop President Mnangagwa from meeting the people. President Mnangagwa is possibly well-known in Midlands, but rural residents from Buhera, Chachacha, Bhidhiri, Chipinge, Murehwa etc do not know President Mnangagwa. If Mr. Mugabe made Tsvangson popular, therefore, President Mnangagwa should use Mr. Mugabe as a leverage to win rural votes. Failure to do that will mean, Tsvangirai will increase his support base in rural areas.

ZANU PF made a blunder by removing Mr. Mugabe through a ‘systematic coup’, even if President Mnangagwa approves ‘Mugabe Day or Grace Day’, Mr. Mugabe will never forgive him in the near future, a move likely to cost his victory in 2018 presidential election.

I grew up in rural areas and I am there right now, President Mnangagwa brand is hard to sell without Mr. Mugabe. The departure of former President Mugabe from power was a humiliation and I have a strong feeling that ZANU PF will find it hard to win 2018 election unless if they manipulate  votes.

What is eight million dollars for a congress? In politics money doesn’t count but people’s votes. I heard people saying, President Mnangagwa is serious on saving money, a rationality that I cannot see neither here nor there. Even if Mnangagwa is to use $80 million for the congress, let him do it provided that he will get chance to meet with the people.

Why is congress important? Congress delegates are selected from all wards of Zimbabwe based on stratified sampling. They are not like people from one corner of the country. President Mnangagwa’s chance to meet representatives from the entire country is only this 2017 extraordinary congress and I am surprised as to why Mr. Khaya Moyo decided to reduce the number of delegates to meet President Mnangagwa. I am convinced that the move is another coup against President Mnagagwa.

I therefore want to advice the appointed President of the republic to think critically over this matter.

The reduction of the number of delegates from 16000 to 6000 will further question the credibility and legitimacy of President Mnangagwa in ZANU PF. The current first secretary of ZANU PF was elected by more than 15000 delegates and for the incoming first secretary President Mnangagwa to be blessed with 6000 delegates is a political mistake?

If President Mnangagwa is to be elected by 6000 delegates only, his legitimacy will suffer a blow in comparison to Mr. Mugabe’s usual delegates.

Conclusion

 It is not yet clear whether President Mnangagwa inherited the double potion of Mr. Mugabe’s evil spirit or not. The power of President Mnangagwa is not with the people, his power is in the barracks.

As I said before, the masses escaped out of the box following the departure of Mr. Mugabe and ZANU PF is at its lowest since Nhari Rebellion.

President Mnangagwa’s legitimacy as a ZANU PF first secretary will be questioned if only 6000 delegates will grace the extraordinary congress in December 2017. ZANU PF leadership has to think between saving $7million and the legitimacy of President Mnangagwa in ZANU PF.

Prophet Makandiwa should tell us why a person living in Diaspora did not replace Mr. Mugabe before we label him a false ZANU PF prophet.

Don Chigumba is a Political Analyst