‘Mnangagwa still not safe’

By Maxwell Sibanda

Unless President Emmerson Mnangagwa deals with those who are out to destroy him his life will remain under constant threat, social and political analysts contend.

The recent bomb attack in Bulawayo is not the first time that the president’s life has been threatened as there have been multiple attempts on his life over the past five years.

The president has jokingly said he was “used to these attempts” on his life, as he had been poisoned at a rally in Gwanda last August when still the country’s vice president. He spent weeks receiving medical treatment in neighbouring South Africa.

After returning from South Africa he was fired by then president Robert Mugabe from Zanu PF and government leading to him fleeing to South Africa by jumping borders as he feared for his life.

Political analyst Vivid Gwede said the president is clearly not safe and he will have to rely on enhanced security measures as long as the people who are after his life are at large.

“The bombing is a continuation of how Zanu PF has done its politics since the liberation war, but this time in a very overt way.

“We have many people whose deaths have never been resolved and are still subjects of speculation,” said Gwede.

Media analyst Rashweat Mukundu said the bombing is the clearest indication that Zimbabwe’s security remains fragile post the November coup.

“And that whatever forces were at loggerheads are yet to turn their bayonets into ploughshares as is the rallying call by Mnangagwa.

“Much more needs to be done to settle differences in our political parties and everyone must speak out against this violence which if not stopped will affect us all.”

Mukundu added that the White City Stadium bombing is an unacceptable turn of political events in Zimbabwe that not only endangers senior political figures in this case the president but has the potential to engulf the whole country if not stopped.

Political analyst Maxwell Saungweme believes Mnangagwa is under threat and nothing can curb this unless he strikes the source of the insurgency first.

“Zanu PF politics anchored on a Mugabeism focuses on elimination of internal enemies and only those in control of the apparatus of elimination are safe as far as they control.

“If this bombing was an attempt on Mnangagwa’s life it means he has no control over the apparatus of violence or elimination.”

Saungweme said the president’s statement on BBC recently is clear sign that he is a troubled person whose leadership has been challenged and things imploding from within the corridors of power.

“Trying to ascribe this bombing incident to Grace (Mugabe) or G40 will be deceitful.

“If this was a surprise bomb attack not known within the corridors of power and given that it was an attack on three top government leaders — the president and his two deputies, White City and the whole of Bulawayo would have been locked down on the day of the bombing.

“It looks like an inside job out of G40 control.

“Also the fact that the weapon got so close to the president should have triggered arrests of senior security officials or even suspension of Defence and Home Affairs ministers and senior officials.

“To me this serious and unfortunate incident smacks of perilous politicking that will drive Zimbabwe further to the edge in a country that has all drivers for violent extremism evident.

“I pray this supposed political hoax does not trigger real violent extremism incidents,” said Saungweme.

Crisis Coalition spokesperson Tabani Moyo said we should not forget and become ahistorical while telling the Zimbabwean narrative.

“Remember that the Daily News, yourselves was bombed twice, radio VOP bombed and no one has been held accountable. So this path, we have travelled before and leant a lot while on it.”

Moyo said the use of violence to take State power, maintain it and sustain it has defined the broader scope of our existence.

“We hope that our polity will one of these days graduate to be a mature narrative, which promotes development and prosperity. We should break from the dark past and respect the supremacy of ideas over the power of guns and bombs.

“The government has ultimate responsibility for the safety of every citizen within the boundaries of the country.

“Whoever is responsible for the bombing… we call upon the government to ensure safety of every citizen including accounting for the missing ones like (Itai) Dzamara and those that were murdered in the southern parts of Zimbabwe post-independence, victims of Murambatsvina and victims of political violence among others.”

Social analyst Rejoice Ngwenya said Mnangagwa has already done a Whodunit by escaping from Mugabe’s bull terriers in November 2017 after he was fired.

“He was Mugabe’s hatchet man for almost fifty years and is highly experienced in matters of security.

“He is very safe. I am also sure that some so-called attempts at his life could be stage managed to create an aura of victimisation.

“We should buy it with a pinch of salt, but Zanu PF since their formation in 1963, use violence to eliminate adversaries,” said Ngwenya. DailyNews