Joyceleen Mtandwa |The adage ‘When the cat’s away, mice will play’ rings true of the situation unfolding in the ruling Zanu PF party at the moment.

President Robert Mugabe is away in the far east on his annual leave, and has left his deputy Emmerson Mnangagwa in charge, who surprisingly together with his acolytes have used the festive season to poke fun at the 92 year old leader behind his back.

Mnangagwa is first all pictured declaring himself boss in what his opponents within the ruling Zanu PF party have construed to be an attack on his own boss Robert Mugabe. With insinuations of an internal coup d’etat in the absence of Mugabe.

Furthermore, matters might be going out of hand after another close associate of Mnangagwa’s Energy Mutodi, soon afterwards released a list; “MUGABE FALLS IN NEW POLITBURO RANKINGS.”

On Mutodi’s list Mnangagwa tops as the best Politburo member, while President Mugabe gets fourth position after Minister of Defence Sydney Sekeramayi who is second, with the third place taken by minister Christopher Mushowe.

First Lady Grace Mugabe is not spared taking position eight second from last on the list, with Josiah Hungwe taking last place on the best category list. Meanwhile the worst category list features; ministers Jonathan Moyo, Savior Kasukuwere and Patrick Zhuwao all who are linked to Grace’s G-40 faction.

To go further in exposing the factional machinations in the composition of the list published on social media, top of the worst Politburo member list is Vice-President Phelekezela Mphoko, an interesting parallel to Mnangagwa topping the best list.

Moyo was quick to make a rebuke on twitter, “First Mutodi poses with VP Mnangagwa in a weird photo, then he writes this garbage attacking Pres Mugabe. Enough!”

Writes Mutodi in explaining his list, “Mugabe’s poor rankings in latest politburo rankings are best explained by his refusal to name a successor despite his old age as well as his shielding of corrupt ministers from arrest.  He has also been accused of nepotism after he appointed his son-in-law Simba Chikore as new Air Zimbabwe boss.  The president has also recently shown signs of poor reasoning after he fell prey to a G-40 led ploy to isolate him from his support base, mainly war veterans who delivered the country’s independence.”

He goes further to write as he campaigns for Mnangagwa to take over from Mugabe, “Mnangagwa has attracted the support of the Chinese, the British and the Americans as a favorite to be Mugabe’s successor.  Due to his loyalty to Mugabe that he has demonstrated for more than half a century, Mnangagwa also has Mugabe’s confidence to become President.
The year 2017 may see Mnangagwa being elevated to President and he is most likely to pick Constantino Guvheya Chiwenga as his deputy and Kembo Mohadi as second Vice President while other security chiefs will be assigned to powerful ministries. Mnangagwa also enjoys a cordial relationship with business leaders and academics from whom he will pick technocrats to run other ministries such as Finance, ICT, industry, agriculture among others.”