Former President Robert Mugabe has outsmarted Emmerson Mnangagwa by chosing a Nelson Chamisa age-mate to lead the National Patriotic Front party.

The development has been reported by the weekly Standard which cites a secret meeting between the 94 year old and a 40 year old lawyer.

The NPF is a G40 morph and promises to be the alternative ZANU PF. The development if true, could see the NPF stealing thousands of youthful members from Mnangagwa, since in his leadership the young have been sidelined. In recent days, ZANU PF has been on the edge as Nelson Chamisa took the nation by storm amid a rising outcry for a young leader. Even elderly men and women above 90 have rallied to support Chamisa largely due to his age and his pulling charisma.

The Standard report written by Everson Mushava, says Mugabe has met the 40 year old Farai Mutamangira to discuss the leadership of the NPF, currently led by former Cabinet minister retired brigadier general Ambrose Mutinhiri, who is said to be on his way out, according to impeccable sources.

Mutinhiri was announced as the NPF leader in March after holding a meeting with Mugabe, but sources say he has fallen out of favour with the party’s structures after he failed to “assert his authority”.