Zimbabwe: Zanu-PF Youths Back Mnangagwa, Promise to Thwart Planned Protest Against His Attempts to Stay in Power
In a move that looks like a repeat of events in 2017, Zanu PF youths have backed President Emmerson Mnangagwa in an ongoing power wrangle with his deputy Constantino Chiwenga.
Speaking at the launch of Mnangagwa’s Youth Fund in Harare on Thursday, Deputy Secretary for Youth Affairs John Paradza declared that the party’s youth will do everything in their power to thwart demonstrations planned by disgruntled war veterans.
In 2017, youths such as Kudzai Chipanga and Anastancia Ndhlovu were forced to apologise to the nation after publicly backing late President Robert Mugabe in factional fights he eventually lost.
Acts of bravado, such as those witnessed at the launch where thousands of youths chanted 2030 ndeya ED in support of calls for him to hang on till 2030, against constitutional provisions, culminated in public apologies, one of which was broadcast live on ZBC by the military.
War veterans, led by Blessed Geza, have set March 31 as the date on which they will protest against Mnangagwa’s corrupt colleagues and the deteriorating economy. They have called on Zimbabweans to join.
Geza, whose whereabouts are not public, has been laying into Mnangagwa, his cronies such as Wicknell Chivayo, Kudakwashe Tagwirei, Martin Rushwaya while propping up Chiwenga as the rightful successor to deal with Zimbabwe’s current mess.
“There are things being said on social media that there will be demonstrations. What I can assure you is that as long as I still deputise Machakaire in this wing there will not be any demonstration,” said Paradza to raucous applause from youths in attendance at the Harare International Conference Centre (HICC) on Thursday.
“We do not lose sleep over utterances on social media, we want you to be at peace.
“Our duty as the youth league is to defend the President and the party.”
Geza, who has demanded Mnangagwa’s immediate resignation, was on Thursday described as delusional by information minister Jenfan Muswere. Zanu PF quickly moved to fire Geza from the party after his first few public utterances.
“Zimbabweans are encouraged to ignore Geza’s delusional rumblings, polemic and reactionary grandstanding is a clear misdirection of ambition,” said Muswere.
Factional fights within Zanu PF have seen former allies Mnangagwa and Chiwenga being pitted against each other as the party approaches its elective congress in 2027.
Chiwenga, whom many had been made to believe will take over from Mnangagwa, appears to have been dumped despite the central role he played in ensuring Mnangagwa’s ascent via the 2017 coup.
Zanu PF infighting is no longer being played out in the corridors of its headquarters, even party spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa was recorded laying into Chiwenga.
Mutsvangwa described Chiwenga as unelectable, cruel and unlearned.
By New Zimbabwe.
