PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday expressed shock over the performance of former liberation movements in recent general elections, saying the revolutionary parties in the Sadc region were under attack.
The African National Congress (ANC) of South Africa recently lost its parliamentary majority for the first time since the advent of democracy in 1994.
The ANC polled 40,18% in the elections, while the main opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) won 21,81% and the six-month-old uMkonto Wesizwe shocked many by becoming the country’s third largest political party after garnering 14,58%.
The poor performance has since forced South African President Cyril Ramaphosa to form a government of national unity with the DA and other smaller parties.
Ramaphosa is expected to name his Cabinet after being retained as the country’s president in Parliament last week.
However, ANC’s dismal performance in the general elections seems to have rattled Mnangagwa, who told the ruling Zanu PF party central committee that the revolutionary parties in Southern African Development Community and across Africa were under attack.
“As I call upon the central committee and the party at large to be aware of the realities and onslaughts affecting former liberation movements and the African region as a whole, these call for a greater solidarity and exchanges among former liberation movements as well as like-minded Global South and East,” he said.
“Revolutionary movements in the region and across Africa, we are under attack. It is this unity of purpose and long-standing mantra that states that ‘an injury to one is an injury to all’ which saw us dismantle colonial bondage, apartheid and racist white supremacy. Our collective independence, freedom, sovereignty, peace and security should be jealously guarded and defended.”
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Mnangagwa said he was aware of rogue elements within the country that he claimed were bent on peddling falsehoods and instigating acts of civil disorder.
“The Zanu PF-led government will not tolerate any form of destabilisation in our country to disturb our security and tranquil environment. Law enforcement agents remain on high alert,” he said.
Mnangagwa also warned Zanu PF members who manipulate party structures for their benefit.
“Those who want to buy their way into Zanu PF and manipulate the ongoing restructuring and mobilisation programme must be exposed,” he said.
“The party will not hesitate to invoke article 37 section 549 of our constitution for those who exhibit indiscipline and brute ambition.”
Mnangagwa, who is facing rising discontent within the party, this week warned members to shun factionalism and concentrate on contributing to the growth of Zimbabwe’s economy.
He told the politburo meeting on Wednesday that it was time to put personal interests aside and begin to work for Zanu PF collectively.
Over the past few months, disgruntled war veterans, fronted by former legislator and Zanu PF central committee member Blessed Geza, have been calling on Mnangagwa to reshuffle his Cabinet and politburo and warned of “gnashing of teeth”.
Geza, who is allegedly being backed by a powerful clique in the party, government and the army, wants the so-called young turks in the party out of Mnangagwa’s government and replaced by the old guard, including war veterans.
Mnangagwa’s Cabinet, which has 20 portfolios, comprises mostly young turks, save for Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri (Defence), Monica Mutsvangwa (Women’s Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development) and Sithembiso Nyoni (Environment, Climate and Wildlife).
War veteran Chris Mutsvangwa, who was Veterans of the Liberation Struggle Affairs minister, was fired from his post for “insubordination” in February this year, barely five months after being appointed to the portfolio.
The war veterans are expected to hold an elective congress later this year.
