By Maxwell Chivasa.
LONDON: ZIMBABWE (News of The South ) –
President Emerson Mnangagwa’s new Cabinet has come under a barrage of criticism from all quarters at home and abroad. That could summarise how Mnangagwa will win or lose the 2018 general elections.
No GNU or government of national unity as some people expected, especially those who participated in the big march against Mugabe during the coup week.
Nothing for the young generation to look forward to. The social media has been literally jammed with funny and humorous posts on the new cabinet.
Because the Zimbabwe National Army helped remove from power the former president Robert Mugabe, in charge for 37 years, the great expectation was a Government of National Unity. But Mnangagwa’s selection is ZanuPF through and through.
Some Zimbabweans feel defrauded because the taxpayer’s army has simply fought a battle to resolve succession and in fighting issues in ZanuPF. Nothing for the taxpayer.
Some fans of the new President Mnangagwa will point out that this is his first big mistake – not forming a GNU to please the taxpayer and the donor community. The absence of the opposition means that they have stayed away to roll up their sleeves for the 2018 election. And want to stay clean of the ZanuPF government which messed up the economy under Mugabe’s 37 year rule. That’s his choice of the ruling party that ousted Mugabe! The mood of the country and the world was for a GNU following the downfall of Mugabe.
It shows his pure ZanuPF team he could have selected if Mugabe’s step down wasn’t army related. Now without Mugabe’s hand in it, their next task remains to win the next election.If ZanuPF loses while Mugabe is still alive, the former president will have the last laugh. Mugabe will try to justify why he overstayed as leader of ZanuPF, and winning elections at the same time. This team has to win the 2018 election or the G40 team will have the last laugh. The G40 will obviously now rally behind opposition parties. They will not support a Mnangagwa led ZanuPF as some of them are still being hunted down. Some disgruntled ZanuPF supporters might wander off to opposition parties. This is now a divided party after Grace Mugabe’s attempt to hijack the leadership of the party and presidential race.
This makes the next election more interesting as the opposition has been given enough ammunition to attack the ruling party.
Firstly the opposition will now complain about the army, paid by the taxpayer, for taking over power from Mugabe and handing it over to a single party ZanuPF instead of forming a GNU. Because the army got involved to remove Mugabe, backed by the million people anti-Mugabe March, they will argue that Mnangagwa should have considered a complete GNU. But he chose ZanuPF MPs in his Cabinet. Perhaps the opposition turned down the offers not wanting to be associated with 37 years of Mugabe dictatorship.
But this non-inclusive government has been a disappointment to those outside ZanuPF. The opposition definitely want an election next year.
Back to the coup Cabinet
Zimbabweans will be pleased to see the face of the coup on ZBCTV elevated: Major General Sibusiso Moyo, now the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
But on Air Marshal Perence Shiri, formerly of the 5th Brigade that massacred villagers in Midlands/Matabeleland, that’s a big “blib foul up blunder” by Mnangagwa. This is the man who should have stayed in the background. Mugabe is still watching… he might be interested to say: that’s why I overstayed to lead and win elections.
Will the donors hurry up to support Mnangagwa? Not now… They might have to wait until after the 2018 election.
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