By Talent Gondo| Zanu Pf member and former minister of State for Masvingo Province Josiah Hungwe has distanced himself from statements attributed to him in a newspaper report that quotes him telling delegates at Gudo Clinic, Chiredzi, that Emmerson Mnangagwa will shoot to stay in power.
In an interview with ZimEye, Hungwe said while the newspaper report allegedly quoted him, he never read or said the statement that Mnangagwa will shoot to stay in power.
He said:
“I have had so many people ask that, so please don’t worry yourselves about that because I never read it, eeeh, that is what people told me that it was reported in the newspaper, and the newspaper was The Mirror, something like that. Yes. I never read that, I never saw it.”
Quizzed further on the statement since there is a full recorded speech of him speaking and saying so, Hungwe was at pains to explain himself.
He said:
“Aaah, comrade, you don’t do that,” shortly before abruptly ending the telephone call (SEE VIDEO BELOW).
In August last year, Hungwe was quoted denying ever attending the Gudo Clinic function. The function was however covered far and wide by both the private and state media (including the Herald.)
He reportedly told the Daily News:
“You cannot make a story out of it. It is not fair because I was not there when what you are reminding me was allegedly said, it is your creation so look for other people to talk to not me,” he fumed as he hung his mobile phone before switching it off.
In the below recording of the speech revealed by ZimEye.com, Hungwe is heard clearly saying Emmerson Mnangagwa would shoot his way into power.
“Our leader Mnangagwa is a soldier and you know that a soldier is always equipped with a gun to do whatever he wants. If you want to run away from him he can shoot you so you should always know that,” Hungwe said, while commissioning the Gudo Clinic.
He also added:
“Do you know that I am the leader of the new dispensation here in Masvingo and I say ichi chinhu chedu chatakaita (this is our thing; it’s our creation).”
He added to statements by the then Deputy Minister Of Finance Terence Mukupe who said that the uniformed forces will not allow MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa to rule if he wins the 2018 election.
Commenting on the development last night, Amnesty International activist and Masvingo Residents Association, Prosper Tiringindi told ZimEye the development presents an opportunity for citizens to take the Motlanthe Commissioners to court since their report “ignores” the Hungwe statements.