Vice President Constantino Chiwenga has said President Emmerson Mnangagwa deserves another opportunity to lead the ruling ZANU PF and Zimbabwe at large.
Chiwenga who doubles as the minister of Health and Child Care made the remarks at the ZANU PF elective congress, which kicked off in Harare on Wednesday 26 October 2022 and ends today 29 October 2022. He is quoted by NewsDay as saying:
He (Mnangagwa) is the only leader we know. He deserves another opportunity to lead us. He has everything needed to lead us. We wish many more years for our leader and that God grants him more wisdom. His works have surpassed our expectations.
Chiwenga’s remarks came when there have been speculative reports that he was angling to challenge Mnangagwa at the congress.
Reports also suggested that Chiwenga, a former military commander, was behind Sybeth Musengezi’s court case in which the former party youth member is challenging Mnangagwa’s ascendancy to the ZANU PF leadership in 2017.
Musengezi approached the High Court claiming that Mnangagwa’s ascension to power was unprocedural.
Meanwhile, Mnangagwa told the congress that ZANU PF’s campaign machinery was now ready to roll with all “election materials and resources in place to mount a roaring campaign for a thunderous victory of our party.”
He added that “the people’s revolution is ongoing and unstoppable.”
Mnangagwa has been endorsed as Zanu PF’s sole presidential candidate.
He will likely square off with opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) leader Nelson Chamisa, whom he narrowly beat in the 2018 disputed elections.