Hostile reception awaits Mugabe in Gweru

President Robert Mugabe will on Friday fly into a storm when the nonagenarian arrives in Gweru for his party's Youth Interface rally as tension mounts over the alleged poisoning of his deputy Emmerson Mnangagwa. The VP is touted as the party's provincial godfather who is being fronted to take over from Mugabe.

کد خبر: ۷۲۶۲۱۷

تاریخ: ۰۹ شهريور ۱۳۹۶ - ۱۲:۴۳

Zanu PF has two distinct factions —Team Lacoste, reportedly sympathetic to Mnangagwa, and the G40 whose kingpins Higher Education minister Jonathan Moyo and party commissar Saviour Kasukuwere are rooting for Grace Mugabe to take over from her ailing 93-year-old husband.

The Vice-President was airlifted to South Africa following a severe bout of, vomiting and diarrhoea as his allies strongly suspected that he had been poisoned in the succession fights early this month.

Inside sources said recently Mugabe might be embarrassed as Team Lacoste feels its the right day to fight back and show support for Mnangagwa. A slogan coined as "Pasi nepoison” has been made and officials are said to be prepared to say it at the rally.

Some youths have also been arranged to boo known G40 members and possibly Mugabe himself and make standing ovations for Mnangagwa and his allies. Daring officials from the province are also said to be lined up to speak their minds and advocate for Mnangagwa to be Mugabe’s anointed successor. The plan is to say this to Mugabe during a closed door briefing with provincial structures.

Meanwhile, Mugabe’s health will be under the limelight on the day and to prepare for any eventuality, the Zanu PF Midlands provincial executive has mobilised 25 standby nurses, two doctors and three nurse aides to provide emergency medical care to party supporters during the youth interface rally.

Provincial administrator Abiot Maronge told the ruling party’s provincial co-ordinating committee meeting in Gweru last Friday that the standby medical team was being mobilised to attend to emergencies during the rally. But sources say the team is specifically to give support to Mugabe himself in the event of an emergency.