I have taken no spot in the silent but heating up war between Mnangagwa, Chiwenga and their surrogates. The two men were never really friends. Chiwenga was Mnangagwa’s door into the Army just as Mnangagwa was Chiwenga’s entrance into the political dimension. This was before and during the Zanupf factional wars that pitted G40 against Lacoste. Things have since changed.
The two men have not much use for each other anymore after G40 did a disappearing act from Zimbabwe politics. They now have divergent interests which puts their sights in different directions. Mnangagwa did not make the situation easier by growing a big head and inflating his ego, with Chiwenga doing his damage to the relationship by projecting the appearance that he was the real power in Zimbabwe and had an I.O.U from Mnangagwa in his pocket.
Chiwenga is now formally in politics with both feat and just a step away from the tree top. Mnangagwa is now Commander in Chief of the Defence forces, with the authority to flip the switch if he feels the itch. Chiwenga might be out of the Army but make no mistake he still believes the switch is his. Mnangagwa sees him as just a wagon that he, the horse, has the burden of pulling behind him.
They both want the same thing and this is how, why and where they clash, like children fighting for a toy. The one believes it’s his as much as the other.
Mnangagwa thought making Chiwenga Vice President would be enough payment for all he has done for him but that was not enough. Chiwenga wants more. Chiwenga expected Mnangagwa to do little time as President and handover to him or at the very least publicly confirm and endorse him as his successor. There seems to be a No Way Through sign on that road and Chiwenga seems determined to make his way through it anyway! Mnangagwa wants more than 2 terms as President and views Chiwenga as totally unsuited to be his successor given his many inadequacies which include restraint and logic.
A collision is inevitable.
Stanley Goreraza
