HAMBURG– President Emmerson Mnangagwa, is reportedly increasingly becoming afraid of losing his life to potential political foul play as his ruling Zanu PF internal power battles by his rivals to oust him intensify, resulting in Mnangagwa arming his personal security to the teeth, Spotlight Zimbabwe, can reveal.
The revelations, which are not new after Mnangagwa escaped an assassination attempt by a whisker in June 2018 following an explosion, that rocked the White City Stadium in Bulawayo where he was addressing thousands of his supporters, come at a time when pictures of one of his close bodyguards who was seen on Thursday at the National Sports Stadium during Independence Day commemoration carrying what appears to be a Heckler and Kock (H&K) MP5K Briefcase Gun surfaced on social media.
Mnangagwa has also previously claimed that there was a plot to eliminate him after he was fired from government as vice president by former leader, President Robert Mugabe, in the run up to the 2017 November coup which dethroned his predecessor.
According to amourer’s bench website, a multimedia project using both video and written content to showcase the history of some of the world’s most interesting and important firearms, the H&K or ‘special case’ was developed in the late 1970s, as a discreet, clandestine weapon system designed for personal protection details. The ‘Special Case’ offered the firepower of an MP5K in a concealed package which could be rapidly brought into action.
“The night of long knives is upon Zanu PF,” said a government insider working close to the president’s office. “The president is having sleepless nights and telling his inner circle that he is constantly watching over his shoulders, because he fears for his life and trusts nobody at this stage.”
Only last week while addressing a Zanu PF national youth Indaba at the party headquarters in the capital, Mnangagwa said there was a mafia plotting to capture Zanu PF.
“I am quite aware of machinations of the enemy to destabilise the party by causing despondency and disunity among our rank and file,” he said.
“Divisive or opportunistic or mafia style handling of party affairs will never be accepted. You may feel that you are smart, but let me tell you that this party, Zanu PF, will always be smarter.”
Last year, the ruling party’s first secretary made similar warnings, saying he had received intelligence reports that there were some top ruling party officials plotting to impeach him after the July 30 harmonised elections.
So grave is Mnangagwa’s panic, that he has in recent times increased his security aides, who are mostly armed soldiers. Media reports allege that he now has at least five closed circuit television cameras mounted around every area where he will be officiating that are monitored from a central point.
The Briefcase gun, was once used as a medium range weapon by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), and specially designed for covert assassinations.
Mobile phone calls and text messages for official comment to Mnangagwa’s spokesman, George Charamba, were fruitless.
spotlight zimbabwe
