Military plots to position Chiwenga for presidency

0Shares

A UNITED KINGDOM-based research firm has waded into Zimbabwe’s highly volatile political arena predicting that while the ruling Zanu PF will most likely retain power in the next general elections, the country’s military will immediately start positioning Vice President Constantino Chiwenga to replace President Emmerson Mnangagwa after the polls.

Mnangagwa came to power following a 2017 military coup code-named Operation Restore Legacy. Zimbabwe is this year expected to go for elections later in the year, but some political analysts and civic society organisations say a rise in politically motivated violence and the absence of a level playing field may tip the outcome in favour of Mnangagwa’s party.

However, a survey conducted for The Brenthurst Foundation by the non-partisan London-based SABI Strategy Group says Zimbabwe’s opposition leader Nelson Chamisa is surging ahead of Mnangagwa — 53% to 40% — among those who say they will definitely vote in August In the controversial 2018 presidential election, Mnangagwa scraped through with 50.8% of the vote ahead of Chamisa’s 44.3%.