One of the casualties of the November 2017 coup that toppled then-president Robert Mugabe was his deputy Phelekezela Mphoko, a former ambassador to South Africa. Tankers rolled into Harare, Zimbabwe, during that time.
According to the 1987 Unity Accord between PF Zapu and Zanu PF, Mphoko and President Emmerson Mnangagwa served as Mugabe’s deputy.
There was an unspoken rule that the Zapu deputy was inferior to the Zanu deputy.
Then came a challenging time when Saviour Kasukuwere and Professor Jonathan Moyo, the faction’s top figures, clashed with Generation 40 (G40), the group Mphoko was housed in.
Mugabe and his immediate family were more focused on G40 than the Lacoste faction, which was led by Mnangagwa.
Then, a rather quiet deputy named Mphoko declared that he was equal to Mnangagwa.
Few weeks prior to the revolution, Mugabe sacked Mnangagwa, and Mphoko lamented the fact that he was “lonely” and in need of a helper.
Following the coup, things evolved. Mphoko led a private life, engaging in commercial conflicts of his own while his political career came to an abrupt stop.
But on Sunday, he showed up to a Zanu PF rally in Nkayi, his hometown, wearing his customary cowboy hat. He was present to back Mnangagwa.
Mike Bimha, the national commissar of Zanu PF, described Mphoko as “a special guest.”
Mphoko received an off-road vehicle as well as other unspecified benefits from Mnangagwa.
Without a doubt, Mphoko will vote for Mnangagwa.
Prior to Mnangagwa addressing the public, prominent party figures stood at the podium one by one in accordance with Zanu PF custom.
Party supporters were brought in via hundreds of buses and trucks, but the enormous crowd didn’t arrive without suffering casualties along the way.
25 people were hurt when a bus carrying fans to the event toppled, killing one person and leaving 25 others injured. It had gone off the road and come down on its side.
The rally continued despite the slow arrival of accident-related information. Breakfast, lunch, and a late meal were provided to rally attendees, along with a bubbly beverage.
One of the least developed regions in the nation is Matabeleland North.
Dr. Anxious Masuka, Minister of Lands, Agriculture, and Rural Resettlement, made the announcement at the rally. He said the government would provide communities with 5,000 chickens, 500 tonnes of lime, and 130 tonnes of fertilizer.
He stated that if Zanu PF won handily, each household in Nkayi, the host growth point, would receive ten hens, and village heads would receive three goats apiece.
- Citizens Coalition for Change
On Sunday, Nelson Chamisa, the head of the opposition, was in Marondera, more than 800 kilometers from Mnangagwa.
The Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), which lacks funding, has not had an easy campaign season, but despite this, the party attracted sizable numbers, the majority of whom travelled to the rally on their own.
Chamisa concluded by saying that “God has the final say” in a direct message to Mnangagwa over the exclusion of CCC candidates from Bulawayo and a number of other lawfare actions.
“You can be the ruler, but you cannot be the leader; you can’t do what you want. This country belongs to God,” he said.
He added that if the elections went ahead with his candidates banned and independent presidential candidate Kasukuwere disqualified, it wouldn’t be a credible vote.
He said:
It is a coup on the ballot.
The CCC claims that Chamisa has been travelling throughout the entire nation by road despite the fact that some of his rallies have occasionally been prohibited.
The gathering claimed that despite difficult circumstances, the reception went well.
“Our president, Nelson Chamisa, has so far travelled over 6 000 km by road, visiting citizens in every village, ward, and constituency in the countryside,” the party said.
- Preparations
The general elections are scheduled for August 23; this week, it is anticipated that the courts will resolve all appeals that have been filed, allowing for the printing of ballots and other necessary logistics.
A nationwide deployment of the EU election observer mission has been made to evaluate the campaign period.
Fabio Massimo Castaldo, the team’s leader, informed reporters that the team wouldn’t make any statements until the results were in.
“We will not correct possible shortcomings, endorse the results, or make any other statement about the quality of the process until the respective stages are completed,” he said.
“Our mandate is to assess all aspects of the electoral process and to analyze the extent to which these elections comply with international and regional standards for elections, as well as with Zimbabwean law,” he added.
