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How VP Chiwenga Could Take Over
24 November 2019
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EDITORIAL COMMENT | There are currently two boiling schools of thought in Zimbabwe – the sudden return of Vice President Constantino Chiwenga is not unusual, and life will just go on as before, there is no rift at all between him and his boss. This view says Chiwenga is no longer popular with the military, and he was stripped of his chain of command long ago.

Another outlook says no way, it is game on, Guvheya remains the face of the ZDF. Exactly what Robert Mugabe did – to anger the military causing the coup that quickly removed him in November 2017 Emmerson Mnangagwa has repeated, and he has done it 10 times more. This article explores how the Gen Constantino Chiwenga could easily become president, or at least the vice president of a functioning country; To date even Chiwenga himself is not safe anymore, the whole nation faces “an explosive stomach.”

The recent spraying of rounds of bullets at Mnangagwa’s residence this week following the fattening of pockets is a sign. To anger the Zimbabwe Defence Forces while enriching onerself, is suicide. There are several factors here:

-it invites the wrath of the stomach. What pushed the military, strengthened them to obey their commanders in 2017 was their stomach. And the spraying of bullets at Mnangagwa’s house by a presidential guard officer during the week demonstrates that the stomach is powerful and it can do anything. It also shows that the stomach is now in control, the stomach is now fast shaping this country’s future. The stomach is furious. One of the world’s most nonsensical cabinet decisions announced during the week that now forces importers of goods and into the country to declare the source of their foreign currency is further evidence that the stomach is now running the country’s ligaments of power, from army all the way to the government offices. The looting over USD3billion from the central bank in less than a month of removing Robert Mugabe, and in the latest the renaming of 10 streets after self while omitting Chiwenga is an explosion trigger.

The 2nd disastrous thing Mnangagwa has done, is the firing of one of the most educated senior military personnel, Brig Gen Engelbert Rugeje, replacing him with an incompetent Victor Matemadanda. Rugeje’s professional and educational background stands tall against some of the best academics in Zimbabwe. He is one of many military bosses who spent over 15 years burning the midnight oil studying on how to run a country. He is like his peer, Gen Perrance Shiri who silently spent his time at university during the Robert Mugabe days only to be revealed as an expert in agriculture soon after the 2017 coup. Another one who has spent years studying is Constantino Chiwenga himself. To remove Rugeje from the most senior and influential post (Political Commissar) in the ruling party is a direct insult, a slap in the face of every soldier in the country.

For Chiwenga- The undoing of this should be a natural explosion of the stomach that will work well in favour of the generals as they peel off the shame put on them by Mnangagwa.

Alleged Poisoning Of Chiwenga.-

There is a strong belief that the general was poisoned. Whether true or not, this belief is powerful and this mood is efficacious. It is the same belief that pushed the military to sympathize with Emmerson Mnangagwa 2-years ago; the same that now poses as an aid for Chiwenga. In Mnangagwa’s case 2 years ago the poison was fake. In the latest case involving his deputy, the poison is real, causing sporadic discolouration of the skin, and multiple organ failure. Most of the poison that is being used against political enemies in Zimbabwe is coming from China.

Angering the Chinese government. –

It is alleged the Chinese government who have a business interests in Zimbabwe, organised for a specialist herbalist to treat Chiwenga 4 months ago. The miraculous return of the man on Sat morning, on the anniversary of the day Mnangagwa was made president by Chiwenga 2 years before and the curious welcoming by the Chinese deputy ambassador furthermore suggest the strong Chinese hand in everything. 2-years ago the man returned to the country after spending several days in China in events that showed that the Asian country was behind him. Has the Chinese government ceased in their interest for Zimbabwe? The deputy Chinese ambassador’s holding a ceremony for the general at the RGM airport demonstrates a strong relationship. Will the Chinese government thus not prove their mettle by assisting another military takeover?

But one problem that will likely be a struggle for the general is that of legitimacy and constitutionalism.

What does the constitution say in the event of a coup? What do SADC and the AU say about military coups? After carrying out a military operation, he is going to struggle to cure the coup. It is not very clear if he has the intellectual capability of comperehending the futility of creating a government using military takeover. The lessons of the last 2 years are full of pointers. And by the way, ZANU PF has in the last 24 months carried out 2 Military coups, the first one on the 15th of November 2017 and the second one on the 1st of August 2018. The Only Way Out will that be of negotiating with the opposition so that through a clear legal admission that a crime was committed; the opposition can help Chiwenga cure at least the second military coup whose evidence of both operation and execution were filmed on LIVE camera. This outlook says Chiwenga will have to negotiate with Chamisa who enjoys 89% of the popular support.