PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa, who is Zanu PF presidential candidate, yesterday claimed he had unearthed a plot by disgruntled party parliamentary candidates to impeach him soon after winning the general elections set for July 30 this year.
BY OBEY MANAYITI
Addressing a Zanu PF healing and reconciliation workshop in Harare, Mnangagwa said he had gathered from State security agents that the alleged plot involved party members sympathetic to former President Robert Mugabe.
“I got intelligence that some of those who have won these primary elections have two minds.
“They have gone to join the Zanu PF wagon using various tricks, money included, to be elected with a possible view that once in Parliament, they will band together and move a motion of impeachment,” he said, as the party officials shouted back saying they did not approve of the alleged plans.
Mnangagwa threatened to clamp down on the alleged conspirators.
“There are two things I would want you to know.
“First, you must realise that the Constitution provides the basis of impeachment and such basis must be fulfilled before impeachment proceedings begin.
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“Secondly, our Constitution provides a tool, an instrument to chuck out from Parliament any member, who we think is not Zanu PF anymore,” he said, while urging the aspiring candidates to be true to Zanu PF principle and ideology.
Mnangagwa came to power last November after the army took over the government and Mugabe eventually stepped down just before Parliament moved in to impeach him.
The two-day workshop was meant to try and mend the rifts caused by the party’s recent divisive and shambolic internal elections, which saw some of the Zanu PF bigwigs and long-time legislators falling by the wayside amid allegations of massive rigging.
About 100 Zanu PF sitting legislators lost in the primaries to newcomers.
Mnangagwa, who yesterday proclaimed July 30 as the election date, said he was confident of a resounding Zanu PF victory, describing the more than 120 opposition parties registered to participate in the polls as insignificant noise makers.
“We are 128 people, who want to be President. This is the best news we have heard and if it was possible that all the 128 register, I will trounce them,” he said. “From today, the campaign is on. From today, individually and collectively, we campaign for Zanu PF to give this country a resounding victory by the revolutionary party.
“We should not be afraid; we should enjoy the little parties which are making noise around the country. We must enjoy that.
“We will not enjoy the campaign without these little parties also making noise, but we must remain united, non-violence because the victory is ours.
“As we reflect on the recent primary elections and the lessons learnt therefrom, we must seek and pursue principles justice and fairness at all times. Right is right and wrong is wrong.
“Let us never allow our conduct to be blurred by our own individual interests or the interest of those close to us.”
Speaking at the same event, the director of the Zanu PF commissariat, Munyaradzi Machacha admitted that the party primary elections held last months had many flaws, but described the process as a learning curve.
