ZANU PF politburo member and Higher Education minister Jonathan Moyo took the ruling party’s succession fights to another level yesterday after he reacted angrily to pictures of Acting President Emmerson Mnangagwa holding a cup inscribed “I am the boss” which was posted on social media platforms.
BY XOLISANI NCUBE
Moyo, using his micro-blogging Twitter account, immediately attached political connotations to the message, which he described as “a power grab narrative”.
In one of the pictures, Mnangagwa, who is believed to be President Robert Mugabe’s heir apparent, but facing internal insurrection to his bid, poses with his self-proclaimed ally, Energy Mutodi, toasting a glass of wine with the VP using the labelled cup.
In another picture, Mnangagwa is seen sitting next to an unidentified man holding the same cup and on the table in front of them are two bottles of mineral water.
Moyo, who has publicly expressed his dislike of Mnangagwa’s political ambitions, said it was wrong for the Acting President to parade himself while holding a cup with such words.
“When pictures not only tell more than a thousand words, but also deepen the power grab narrative!” Moyo claimed.
When one of Moyo’s followers urged for a truce between the two politicians, the Tsholotsho North MP retorted: “Siyana neni iwe (Leave me alone). Everybody knows that the Boss is Gushungo (Mugabe). One Boss at a time, please! Kumhanya hakusi kusvika veduwe (There is no need to rush).”
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While Moyo continues against Mugabe’s advice to rave and rant at Mnangagwa and other opponents, the VP has scoffed at his adversaries, at one time comparing them to “little puppies”.
“They will continue to bark while we will continue to work,” Mnangagwa was quoted as saying last year as the internal fissures gnawing at the ruling party threatened to tip the former liberation movement over.
Mnangagwa is embroiled in a bitter succession battle with a group of young Zanu PF politicians going by the moniker G40 who are leaving no stone unturned in their bid to block his ascendancy to Zimbabwe’s top job.
G40 is reportedly sympathetic to First Lady Grace to take over power from her ailing soon-to-be 93-year-old husband.
Moyo is a leading proponent of the G40 group that also includes Zanu PF national commissar and Local Government minister Saviour Kasukuwere.
