By Itai Mushekwe | COLOGNE – Former Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) governor, Gideon Gono, is the reason why President Robert Mugabe and his wife Grace plotted a move for the first lady, to enter mainstream politics, in a bid to hand over Zanu PF reins to Gono, who is a close family friend and banker of the country’s ruling couple, The Telescope News reported.
The shocking revelations have been made by a close aide of Gono, who as we previously reported has leaked details of a plan allegedly involving, the country’s secret service, better known as the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO), to pave way for Gono to re-brand and rejuvenate Zanu PF, thus subsequently becoming it’s new boss and face, as the former liberation party, is now headed for an unavoidable split that is being ignited by lethal political skirmishes, between current Vice President, Joice Mujuru, and justice minister, Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa’s factions, all vying to seize the throne if and when Mugabe steps down.
Fresh details provided this week by the aide, which have been corroborated by a cabinet minister who talks to us regularly, suggest that the plan to push and prepare Gono for an ultimate Zanu PF takeover, began as early as 1987, when Mugabe and the ex- central banker first met on a serious level, with the former immediately starting to groom him, for a future Zanu PF and Zimbabwe presidency.
It was up until now fairly unbeknown to the Zimbabwean public, that Grace Mugabe’s run for the Zanu PF Women’s League leadership, was a two pronged strategy, to halt Mujuru’s ascendancy to the top, while giving cosmetic support to Mnangagwa’s camp, as the Mugabe’s are said to trust Gono to protect their economic and political interests ahead of Mnangagwa and Mujuru.
Information at hand, also shows that Mugabe was going to appoint Gono as a politburo member of the party, during the explosive elective congress coming on next month. The politburo appointment, would then merit Gono, a senior cabinet position possibly as finance minister, after a government reshuffle Mugabe normally makes after key Zanu PF conferences, time and again.
“This is now raw stuff I’m giving you,” said the aide. “People thought Grace Mugabe is being used by the Mnangagwa faction to block and fight Mujuru, but that is incorrect. A good number of us thought as much, until after taking a second look at it. Mugabe and his wife are out there to save their own skin, and the only trusted neutral player who is sure to be loyal to them is Gono. Gono is one of the most traveled former government officials, as he used to and still travels the world with Mugabe as part of his delegation. The president likes him, that is why unfortunately some big wigs in the party loathe him, and have tried to cast concrete on his rebound in government as a senator for Buhera.”
President Mugabe tours former Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Governor Dr Gideon Gono’s chicken project at New Donnington Farm in Norton yesterday. – (Picture by Presidential Photographer Joseph Nyadzayo)
The aide said Mugabe was now due to earn full powers to personally appoint the two vice presidents of the party, if the Zanu PF Constitution, as is largely expected is amended anytime soon, through the Central Committee, before congress.
“Mugabe could then have appointed Mnangagwa and Gono to those positions, and could still sneak his wife, using her popular Women’s league critical mass in the party. Grace Mugabe could then easily step down for Gono, to represent the party ahead of the 2018 presidential elections, knowing very well that Mnangagwa will be a spent force, and old for competition with Gono by then.”
Although none of the schemes above, are likely to see the light of day, Gono is reportedly being supported by the CIO and Joint Operations Command (JOC), to lift Zanu PF from the dustbin, as a political intelligence report allegedly prepared by the two security organisations, believe Zanu PF is likely to lose power to the opposition by 2018.
“GG (code for Gono) is a charismatic prospect for Zanu PF to re-gain power in 2021 the latest, should the opposition form a new government before 2018,” part of the report says specifically about Gono.
The Telescope News, according to our research, Zanu PF insider briefings and further investigations around likely political events and scenarios in Zimbabwe henceforth, can now project that:
President Robert Mugabe, could be out of power before the end of this year, should reported growing threats against the first lady’s life unfortunately occur.
Justice minister, Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, as we have done a few months ago, is now all but certain to become Zimbabwe’s second republic president.
Mnangagwa’s stint as Head of State, might not last more than two years due to the country’s resurgent economic problem’s which could force an early election, by say 2016.
Morgan Richard Tsvangirai, the former prime minister of the country during the Government of National Unity (GNU), is likely to storm to power, as the third replublic president of Zimbabwe before or after 2016.
Gideon Gono, the former central bank governor, as is already planned by security machinery, is likely to shockingly retain power for Zanu PF, by becoming the fourth republic president of Zimbabwe before or after 2021, as also suggested by the intelligence report we have uncovered. -Telescope News