Zanu-PF protest Mnangagwa nephew
ZANU-PF supporters in their hundreds demonstrated yesterday afternoon at the party’s headquarters‚ the “Shake Shake” building‚ against the alleged imposition of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s nephew‚ Tongai‚ as a candidate in primary elections.
The demonstration comes after one of Mnangagwa’s key allies in the race to take over from former president Robert Mugabe‚ Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans’ Association spokesman Douglas Mahiya‚ claimed the nephew was being imposed as a candidate in Harare South to block his ascendance.
“[Tongai] was rejected by the province and the politburo‚ but suddenly two days before the elections he appears from nowhere as a candidate‚” he said.
Taking to the streets‚ placardcarrying supporters suspected to be linked to Mahiya accused Tongai of vote-buying and warned they would end up removing Mnangagwa senior.
“Don’t intimidate us and impose [on] us people we don’t know. We won’t vote for the party and if all fails‚ we will even remove his uncle‚” one party member said as others started chanting Nelson Chamisa’s name.
Chamisa is the presidential candidate for the MDC Alliance – the biggest coalition of opposition parties.
The primary elections‚ which saw many heavyweights fall by the wayside‚ have sown seeds of discord.
Christopher Mutsvanga‚ the special adviser to Mnangagwa‚ lost to Langton Mutendereki in Norton and did not take it kindly.
In an interview with the independent daily News Day‚ he said Mnangagwa had been set up to fail through weak candidates.
He also accused the party’s national commissar‚ retired brigadier Engelbert Rugeje‚ of being too politically immature for the huge task of the political commissariat.
“The new national commissar‚ while he is a comrade‚ lacks the party’s institutional memory and failed to handle this issue well‚ leading to the disenfranchisement of thousands of party members‚” he said. –