By Own Correspondent| President Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday recounted his poisoning ordeal while attending a Zanu-PF rally in Gwanda last August revealing that not a single person from Matabeleland was involved in the attempt on his life.
Cde Mnangagwa who was then the country’s Vice President, was airlifted to Gweru enroute to South Africa following the incident which nearly claimed his life before doctors flushed out the poison and saved his life.
Addressing Zanu-PF supporters at Phelandaba Stadium in Gwanda (Friday), on his first rally at the venue where he was dramatically airlifted after the poisoning incident, President Mnangagwa thanked the people of Matabeleland for their support and for not participating in activities leading to the “poisoning incident”.
He told the hundreds of party supporters gathered at the Stadium that after the poisoning, he was so sick and only remembers leaving his seat from the high table accompanied by Vice President Kembo Mohadi who at that time was the Minister of State Security.
“Details regarding how I got to South Africa I was later told.
I want to refer to what happened in August. I was seated where Mai (Mary) Chiwenga was seated so I told her that ‘danger,’ That was August 12 last year when I left here, I remember standing up, I was accompanied by Mohadi and others,” said President Mnangagwa.
The helicopter which ferried President Mnangagwa on its way to Gweru flew over Phelandaba Stadium while former President Mr Robert Mugabe was addressing the 6th edition of the “Presidential interface rallies” which were later unmasked as a platform for the the notorious G40 cabal fronted by former First Lady Dr Grace Mugabe aimed at expelling all suspected members of the Lacoste faction including Cde Mnangagwa.
Undeterred by the poisoning incident, the G40 cabal increased its attack on Cde Mnangagwa and those perceived to be hus supporters especially war veterans until the penultimate “interface” rally at White City Stadium when things took a dramatic twist setting a chain of events that led to the resignation of Mugabe and the ushering in of a new dispensation led by Cde Mnangagwa.
“I don’t remember about the helicopter. I was told that the helicopter took us to Gweru, my wife told Chiwenga about what had happened and he came and took me to South Africa and I survived,” Cde Mnangagwa told the crowd.
“However, I want you to know that there is no single person from Matabeleland South who was involved in the matter.”
Vice President Constantino Chiwenga while introducing President Mnangagwa paid tribute to the province for standing with the country’s first citizen heaping praises on South African based business man Mr Justice Maphosa for rescuing the President when he was fired and forced to flee the country following threats to his life.
“When the President became a border jumper last year, some of us were away but he was rescued by a son of Gwanda Justice Maphosa. So like the President said, you do not destroy but build,” said VP Chiwenga.
In his vote of thanks VP Kembo Mohadi described the people of Matabeleland South as a loving and rainbow community.
“We are happy that today you go back in good health and thank you for clearing the air that the people who caused your problems are not from here but those that you came here with,” said VP Mohadi to President Mnangagwa in reference to the poisoning incident.