Zimbabwe and the Zanu-PF rubber stamp: Political transition of the ruling elites

Zimbabwe and the Zanu-PF rubber stamp: Political transition of the ruling elites

Chika Mori and Lee Jay Walker 

Modern Tokyo Times

The political succession from Robert Mugabe to the new president of Zimbabwe, Emmerson Mnangagwa, is based on the political transition of the ruling elites. The political squabble in Zimbabwe appears to be nothing more than an internal Zanu-PF affair based on the natural decline of Mugabe due to age. Therefore, the spoils of power concentration meant that internal Zanu-PF tensions erupted before the clock of time finally caught up with Mugabe.

Mugabe’s overthrow wasn’t based on past crimes, political cronyism, enriching his wealth on the labor of Zimbabweans, rewarding his inner-circle, destroying the economy, and other enormous negatives. Instead, he lost power because of internal convulsions within the ruling party.

This convulsion wasn’t based on morality or trying to galvanize the nation. On the contrary, it was based on Mugabe grooming his wife (or his ambitious wife manipulating a hailing Mugabe) to take over the vestiges of power. Hence, for once, Mugabe happened to tread on too many Zanu-PF toes. Therefore, the coup was nothing more than an internal affair whereby the ruling party will seek to consolidate its power concentration.

Mnangagwa is now set on restoring full unity within the ruling Zanu-PF in order to prevent even a minor vacuum from emerging. Given this, Mnangagwa told thousands of Zanu-PF delegates that “We must never lower our guard again. We must defend and protect our party and remain genuine to the founding principles … against people with very little history.”

Modern Tokyo Times during the height of tensions said, “Robert Mugabe finally stepped down from ruling Zimbabwe but the stranglehold of Zanu-PF remains. Hence, will Zimbabweans who oppose political cronyism – and a distorted notion of democracy – be placated given the old vestiges of power remaining?”

Sadly, it seems that the political Zanu-PF stranglehold will remain even if Mnangagwa implements minor changes. After all, the new leader of Zimbabwe fully understands that all the vestiges of power concentration remain embedded within the ruling Zanu-PF.

http://moderntokyotimes.com/?p=8055

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