ZANU PF politburo members at the weekend torched storm when they likened Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa to God. During a party hosted by Mnangagwa at his rural home in Zvishavane, Mnangagwa was showered with the praises as he was also referred to as “a crocodile that could have struck in 1980 but did not as it does not hunt but waits for its time.” [ALSO READ – Mnangagwa Says God Wears Gushungo Label Clothes]
News readers reacted in anger learning of the development with some crying blasphemy.” ZPF is inviting a serious judgment upon themselves. This is blasphemy of the highest order,” wrote one infuriated reader.
Report by The Standard| Choruses of praise-singing and idolising shifted from President Robert Mugabe and the First Lady to new first VP Emmerson Mnangagwa who yesterday hosted a huge party at his Zvishavane home to celebrate his elevation to the new position.
Dozens of politburo and central committee members and senior military officers attended the party during which officials lined up to sing praises to Mnangagwa who is odds on favourite to succeed President Mugabe.
Masvingo political supremo and Psychomotor minister Josiah Hungwe likened Mnangagwa to Jesus Christ, referring to him as the “Son of Man.”
Asked to introduce Mnangagwa, Hungwe went into overdrive, showering Mnangagwa with colourful adjectives and likening him to “The Holy Son of Man”. He said his rise was planned by God.

“This man who has been made VP has various names that we all know but some of the names you don’t know them…He is known as the Son of Man…I can tell you that I received several texts from Bishop Andrew Wutaunashe (leader of the Family of God church) telling me that the Son of Man will be ordained VP way before these things happen and I just told him that I had heard him because I know he is a Man of God,” Hungwe said.
Several Zanu PF officials have in the past used the Messianic analogy on Mugabe and Mnangagwa was yesterday elevated to the same “divine” realm.
Mnangagwa could have become VP in 2004 but was blocked by Mugabe who preferred Joice Mujuru at that time. A decade later, Mugabe made a summersault and last week dumped Mujuru in favour of his long-time lieutenant.
Hungwe said Mnangagwa was a patient, principled and calculative VP whose meteoric rise to political stardom was ordained by Mugabe and God.
Hungwe said Mnangagwa, affectionately known as Ngwena (crocodile) behaved like a real crocodile which does not hunt for its prey but lays in wait in muddy waters only to strike without fail at the opportune time. He said Mnangagwa was the most resilient person in the country.
“It’s a matter of calculation because a crocodile does not hunt but waits for its time…those who wanted it to strike in 1980 got it all wrong. It only caught at the right time,” he said.
In the run up to the Zanu PF Congress the attention was on the first family as Grace Mugabe addressed nationwide rallies at which she denounced former VP Mujuru, while promoting Mnangagwa’s candidacy as VP. Party officials followed her around the country singing praises to her and the president.
Mnangagwa who arrived accompanied by former Labour and Social Welfare Minister July Moyo, was full of praise for President Mugabe for the appointment.
He said his family and close team had lined up parties to celebrate his appointment.
One of the parties, Mnangagwa said, would be held in Zvimba, Mugabe’s home area to thank him for his love.
Another one will be held at Mnangagwa’s Sheerwood Farm in the Midlands mining town of Kwekwe.
“July Moyo and Mai Mnangagwa have planned these parties. The first one will be in Zvimba where we are going to invite all the newly-appointed politburo members and central committee to thank the President and his family for his love,” Mnangagwa said.
The VP said he had travelled for 52 years in the company of Mugabe, a principled leader who at 90 was still stronger than a 41-year-old because God loves him. He also said that President Mugabe had taught him very important lessons of loyalty in his life.
His wife, Auxillia, who is also in the politburo, sweated heavily all afternoon as she jumped barefoot, dancing with other Midlands women thanking God for the appointment of her husband. She went down on her knees, thanking Mugabe and his wife, Grace for the elevation of her husband.
“The Mnangagwa family comes before President Robert Mugabe and Amai Grace to thank him for this appointment, she said.
The celebrations were however not without incident as deputy Mines minister Freddy Moyo, was ejected out of the heavily fenced compound on allegations that he supported Mujuru.
Youths led by Mnangagwa’s confidante, Owen ‘Muda’ Ncube, who manned the gates, screening delegates, fished Moyo out accusing him of belonging to the Majuru cabal accused of plotting to topple Mugabe. He was labelled “Gamatox” while many people thought to be previously aligned to Mujuru were also chased away.
Zanu PF politburo members including Jorum Gumbo, Mike Madiro, Chris Mutsvangwa, Shuvai Mahofa and Chief Fortune Charumbira, among others, including central committee members jostled to shake hands with Mnangagwa.
Prosecutor General Johannes Tomana accompanied by permanent secretary for defence Martin Rushwaya led top government officials and several army generals who also converged at the VP’s mansion to congratulate him.