Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa shocked MPs yesterday when he claimed that First Lady Doctor Amai Grace Mugabe was right to hand over state owned equipment and foodstuffs at her rallies.
Mnangagwa defended Grace’s actions while being questioned by opposition MPs over the manner in which Grace was handling government sourced equipment at her Zanu PF rallies.
“The First Lady is right to donate that equipment because she is the First Lady. It is not a rally that she is donating to, but she is donating to people,” Mnangagwa responded.
Grace has recently used the rallies to decimate and attack the leadership of Team Lacoste, a faction supposedly led by VP Emmerson Mnangagwa. She is believed to be leading the now powerful G40 faction which is a powerful force in Zanu PF succession wars.
Mnangagwa who is widely believed to be the arch enemy to G40 has never attended Grace’s rallies where his name is routinely abused.
Powerful Zanu PF figures, government ministers and vocal war veterans(including Jabulani Sibanda and Chris Mutsvangwa) have lost their jobs and political careers due to their opposition to Grace’s rallies and her unpalatable speeches.
Mnangagwa’s utterances could be yet another time buying and survival tactic that will see him eventually reach ‘the promised land’ in the unpredictable and precarious race to succeed president Robert Mugabe.
Last week zimnews ran a report from a guest poster in which the Team Lacoste boss was praised for his cunning and quite diplomacy which has somehow left him ‘blameless’ in the face of unrelenting attacks from the rival G40 faction.
While most of his supposed supporters have been expelled mainly due to their unguarded speeches, Mnangagwa never utters a word against those provoking him in Zanu PF.
Recently he has been accused for abandoning and not speaking for his supporters. Maybe he knows that it is an unwise suicidal move that will see him being a nobody overnight.
The sudden demise of once powerful figures like Joice Mujuru, Dydimus Mutasa, Rugare Gumbo, Nicholas Goche etc is a reminder that there is no hope or future outside Zanu PF and government.
Mnangagwa’s crocodile like approach to the current crises could be Team Lacoste’s strongest point of survival.
His composure and self restraint in front of severe provocation from Mahoka made it clear that he is prepared to remain in safe waters as long as possible and will not play a childish name calling game with his G40 rivals lest he loses focus and is lured out of the deep waters where he is strong and safe.
