Only Mnangagwa win acceptable in future elections: Chiwenga

HARARE – Vice President Constantino Chiwenga made an extraordinary declaration on Saturday that the presidency of Zimbabwe would never be occupied by an opposition leader.

Chiwenga, who led a military coup that ousted former President Robert Mugabe last November and installed Emmerson Mnangagwa as President, said there was “no vacancy at State House”.

He was speaking in Zvimba where Mnangagwa staged the first of his nationwide “thank you” rallies following his hotly disputed election win in July.

“In all the coming elections, no-one is going to remove Shumba Murambwi (Mnangagwa). We are here until he feels it is the time to go and when we have fully restored our country to its former glory and when everything is in order,” Chiwenga declared.

“No-one must dream of being the President. We want our country to prosper and it is time to move the country forward. It’s no longer time for bickering and politics. From here going forward, we are now talking of politics of development, of building the country and moving the country forward.”

Chiwenga referred to MDC leader Nelson Chamisa, who argues that he was cheated of an election win in elections in July, as a “little, liar bishop”.

“Shumba Murambwi is there to stay because he is an anointed one from the King. Never ever dream that after so and so years it will be your time, there is no vacancy, there is nowhere to get in,” the former army commander declared.

“Listen and listen very carefully. To those who were howling in these last days, keep quiet and keep quiet forever. We want to build a strong Zimbabwe that can move forward. There is nothing he has done wrong, the son from the Shumba clan.

“Never ever dream that after so and so years it will be your time, there is no vacancy, there is nowhere to get in.”

Chiwenga and Mnangagwa were key players in 2008 when President Mugabe was beaten by the late MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai in the first round of the presidential vote – but went on to claim a controversial win in a re-run after dozens of opposition supporters were killed and Tsvangirai pulled out.