Former Zanu PF Mashonaland West chairperson Temba Mliswa has said Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa should resign to save his integrity, as he is facing relentless attacks from his juniors.
Mliswa said President Robert Mugabe is failing to respect his VPs, making it difficult for them to work with him.
“… if it were me, I would leave the job because integrity and dignity of an individual is more important . Those VPs have children and grandchildren, what would they say if they hear what is being said?” Mliswa told journalists in Harare this week.
Mnangagwa is facing mounting pressure from Zanu PF members to resign on allegations that he is plotting to stampede Mugabe’s ouster, with some openly attacking him.
In July, Manicaland provincial minister Mandi Chimene attacked him at a war veterans meeting.
She publicly accused Mnangagwa of leading a parallel government and plotting Mugabe’s downfall.
“The Tsholotsho Declaration was being led by Mnangagwa and now Team Lacoste is also being led by Mnangagwa. For how long are we going to keep on pampering one another?” Chimene said at the meeting between Mugabe and war veterans, which Mnangagwa attended.
Early this year, Mnangagwa was also undressed by Sarah Mahoka, at a solidarity rally held for Mugabe at the Zanu PF headquarters in Harare.
Mliswa claimed Mugabe is the one who is directing junior party members to attack Mnangagwa.
“It is sad that the president would sit and allow the VP to be attacked without even abominating them. And you then ask yourself who is the master of this game, it’s him (Mugabe) who is behind this game as he is allowing the VP to be attacked,” he said.
“The president has no respect for the VPs, something which does not only expose the weakness of the party but expose the country as a whole.”
Mliswa said in Mugabe’s absence, no one would listen to any one of the VPs, who would have been left as the acting president.
“If Mugabe goes out of the country, these guys have no powers, the young boy on the streets say we cannot listen to Mnangagwa because Chimene said this.”
The former Hurungwe West MP warned that Mugabe will be dislodged from power by the people he is persecuting.
“My message to the president is that these people are coming to you, you started with me, you then went to Dydmus Mutasa, Rugare Gumbo and Joice Mujuru now you have come to Mnangagwa the only one left is you (Mugabe),” Mliswa said.
Zanu PF is currently divided into two main factions — Team Lacoste that is pushing for Mnangagwa’s ascendancy to the throne and the G40 camp that is viciously opposed to the Midlands godfather.