Zanu-PF rigging set to be exposed by Mnangagwa coup challenger

Sybeth Musengezi, a Zanu-PF member who is challenging the legitimacy of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s coup said he is going to “expose a lot of misdemeanors that happen” in his party during his trial in the case he is being accused of fraud.

In October 2021, Musengezi filed a High Court application seeking an order declaring as illegal the November 19, 2017 Zanu-PF central committee meeting that forced late former President Robert Mugabe to resign before installing Mnangagwa as the party leader.

In a letter dated 22 April, to Zanu-PF, Musengezi said his trial is likely to commence on the 26th of April. He warned the party that the hearing of the matter will also expose how Zanu-PF rigs internal systems and elections.

“As some of you Comrades are aware, I was arrested in May 2022 so as to silence me over my High Court challenge to the bogus ascendancy of Cde. Emmerson Mnangagwa as the President and First Secretary of Zanu-PF, a matter that is still pending at the High Court under Case Number HC5687/21,” he said.

“Take note that the fabricated fraud charge that I am facing is going to expose a lot of misdemeanors that happen in Zanu-PF that results in fake high membership numbers and rigging of internal systems and elections, in a trial that is highly likely to start on the 26th of April 2023.”

Musengezi further accused court officials presiding over his case of being biased.

“The Magistrate and Prosecutor have already shown that they are under pressure from superior powers to dismiss my application for stay of prosecution and send the matter to trial the same day.

“It is surprising how they know that my application is going to be dismissed on the 26th of April that they summoned state witnesses to come for trial the same day before my defense council even filed their final submissions on the 24th of April on the same application.

“This application for stay of prosecution was meant to allow the matter at the High Court to be finalized first, because there are reasonable grounds to prove that my arrest was clear intimidation and forum shopping meant to discredit my High Court application which is seized with the similar issue about my locus standi.

“Do not blame me for the concrete evidence that is going to come out of the court proceedings but blame those who are trying to persecute me,” Musengezi added.