A clique within the ruling Zanu-PF is pushing for the resignation of Vice President Constantino Chiwenga on health grounds.
Chiwenga, the former army general who orchestrated a coup to depose former President Robert Mugabe who died in September, has been away from office since the beginning of the year due to ill health.
Presently, Chiwenga is admitted to a Chinese military health facility receiving treatment over a yet to be disclosed illness.
Insiders however, claim that Chiwenga was poisoned by his opponents in the deadly Zanu-PF succession politics.
Chiwenga’s absence, sources claim, has resulted in calls by some party members for him to step down and an “able” candidate is appointed to replace him.
“There are calls within the party for Chiwenga to step down and another person is appointed in his place because it is unhelpful to have a such a senior person away from work for almost a year. He must just resign and the President appoints an able person,” said a Zanu-PF insider.
The source said the Chiwenga issue had given the opposition ammunition to attack both Zanu-PF and Mnangagwa for retaining Chiwenga when it was clear that he is no longer fit to hold office.
“There are whispers in the party that a delegation will soon be dispatched to China to convince Chiwenga to step down from his position. This is meant to manage the critical relations between Mnangagwa and the military because firing Chiwenga might affect those relations,” said the source.
Zanu-PF spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo was not available for comment.
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