Former Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa has confirmed he has fled Zimbabwe and has issued a warning to President Robert Mugabe that he will come back for him
Emmerson Mnangagwa was described as disloyal, disrespectful and deceitful by Zimbabwe’s information minister.
“I shall return to Zimbabwe to lead you,” says Mnangagwa in a statement released to several news sites this afternoon.
“I will fight tooth and nail…You and your cohorts will instead leave Zanu-PF,” says the statement.
The day full of drama started with reports that Mnangagwa and his family had been turned back while trying to flee to Mozambique.
This is the full text of a statement purported to have been issued by him this afternoon :
My family was banished to Zambia when I was still in primary school for resisting the oppressive rule of the white minority regime in 1955. This action hardened my resolve for justice and black empowerment. I joined the United National Independent Party (UNIP) led by Dr. Kenneth Kaunda at a tender age and have been active in politics ever since. At 18 years of age I was recruited by the late Willie Musarurwa to join ZAPU and sent for military training to Tanzania and Egypt. A year later in August 1963 to be precise, I broke away with some cadres to join the newly formed Zimbabwe African National Union. I was subsequently sent for advanced military training in China which I completed in May 1964. Some of my group members were Edson Shirihuru, Lawrence Svosve, John Shonhiwa and James Mudavanhu. We became known as the famous Crocodile Group. Despite the hardships of the times, we operated in Zimbabwe (Rhodesia) travelling entirely by foot in order to avoid arrest.
Some of my colleagues were betrayed by sell outs, arrested and hanged. The same fate befell me in 1965, I was arrested, tortured and sentenced to death. The death sentence was subsequently commuted on a technicality to ten years imprisonment which I served in various prisons in Zimbabwe while at the same time I advanced my education through correspondence.
After my release, I was deported back to Zambia where I completed my Law Degree. After my Law Degree, I voluntarily left Zambia to join the Liberation struggle in Mozambique in 1976 where I was assigned as the Special Assistant to the President, Cde R.C. Mugabe. This role was reconfirmed at the Chimoio Congress in 1977. I have been very close to the President ever since. We have avoided life threatening situations together. I even doubled up as his personal bodyguard. In return, the President has passed on to me life skills which have put me in good stead throughout my long period in government. Our relationship has over the years blossomed beyond that of master and servant but to father and son. My mouth has never uttered a single foul word against the President nor have I ever contemplated bringing him harm in any way. I therefore find it preposterous that any sane person can lyrically direct such accusations towards me.
Of late, I have been vilified beyond measure. My service to the party and government of Zimbabwe and my public and private posture towards my boss are well known. No amount of lies and convoluted thinking can diminish my loyalty to my party and the President. I have never appointed or surrogated myself in any position in the Party or in Government. I remain firm and resolute against those who plunder public funds and are used by foreign countries to destabilize the Party. These same people are brazenly protected in public by the First Lady thereby making a mockery of our public institutions. I stand prepared, once again, to pay the ultimate price in defence of Zimbabwe. I am not afraid of anyone or worried about my political future under the current “Party Capture” that is being tolerated and condoned by the First Family. I implore all genuine members of ZANU PF to reject this “Party Capture” by a few individuals as I hereby do unequivocally. This is not the Zanu-PF we established with the late Dr. J. M Nkomo and other luminaries who have passed on. This is now a party controlled by undisciplined, egotistical and self-serving minnows who derive their power not from the people and party but from only two individuals in the form of the First Family who have now privatized and commercialized our beloved institution.
It is regrettable that after 37 years of unbroken service in government. I am now being hounded out by minnows who have no liberation credentials or clear understanding of our constitution in Zanu PF. We must reject this insane and “idiotic , habit of expelling and suspending members of the party merely because we differ in opinion or have brighter and more progressive ideas of improving the lives of our people, to quote Cde R G Mugabe’s own adjective.
Your Excellency and First Secretary of Zanu PF, it is sad and deplorable that you have allowed our Party to be hijacked by novices and external forces as well as individuals who have a proven record of treachery. This Party is NOT PERSONAL PROPERTY for you and your wife to do as you please.
Now that you have clearly told the world that I am your enemy who has taken in excess of 50years to formulate a plan to dispose of you, I now urge all the genuine members of the Party to determine for themselves who between the three of us including your wife and the notorious G40 boys is the enemy of the Party and who the real culprit is in destroying our beloved Zanu-PF.
Zanu PF is anchored on core values which promoted unity, peace and development regardless of ethnicity. I find it abhorrent and repulsive to separate the nation by region and province which is anathema to our founding principles. My emphasis is for the nation to unite to create peace and development. This particular accusation is nauseating when the First Lady prefers to have the song “Zezuru Unconquerable” played and sung at rallies she has held many times over. Who is the tribalist here?
I have been accused of committing treasonous acts dating back from 1980.
This is not only fake but laughable and the President knows that. Why, why, the people are asking did you keep this man for so long and not have tried him for treason all these years?
Those who violate our Party code of conduct because they think they have now out grown Zanu PF are free to go and form their own parties. I will go nowhere.
Iwill fight tooth and nail against those making a mockery against Zanu PF founding principles, ethos and values. You and your cohorts will instead leave
Zanu-PF by the will of the people and this we will do in the coming few weeks as Zimbabweans in general now require new and progressive leadership that is not resident in the past and refuses to accept change. My conscience obliges me to uphold the code of conduct of my beloved party and I refuse to be drawn into a public circus.
Religious gatherings should be used to preach love, peace and harmony not to spread hate speech and political intolerance. It was regrettable that men and women of the cloth were abused this past Sunday (5-1 1-201 7) by non-other than the First Lady who spewed fake news, unfair and irresponsible comments about myself and character in an atmosphere which should have focused on Peace, Love, Unity and Development. This is grossly unfair and I was never given a chance to defend myself or at least proffer an explanation to the false and malicious accusations made against me.
Fellow Zimbabweans and specifically members of Zanu-PF, the time is now to say NO to Demi Cods and people that are self-centered and only think of themselves and their families. Let us bury our differences and rebuild a new and prosperous Zimbabwe, a country that is tolerant to divergent views, a country that respects opinions of others, a country that does not isolate itself from the rest of the world because of one stubborn individual who believes he is entitled to rule this country until death.
We want a country that gives every citizen the opportunity to prosper, to take care of their families, a country that encourages Zimbabweans to invest in their economy and contribute to the development of infrastructure for future generations. This is part of my vision for a rejuvenated Zimbabwe and particularly Zanu-PF and as I leave this post for now I encourage all loyal members of the party to remain in the party to register to vote as we will very soon control the levers of power in our beautiful Party and country. “Let not your hearts be troubled for peace, love, unity, development and prosperity are around the corner.” I will be communicating with you soon and shall return to
Zimbabwe to lead you.
PAMBERI NE ZANU-PF!!!! PAMBERI NE ORIGINAL ZANU-PF!!! PASI NE G40
I would like my fellow citizens to know that I am now out of the country, and safe. My sudden departure was caused by incessant threats on my person, life and family by those who have attempted before through various forms of elimination including poisoning.
CDE E.D. MNANGAGWA
Just leave bwana. You were not loyal. As Africans we are proud of people like Robert Mugabe because he is the only one who is standing up for us against white countries that exploit us. Ghadaffi, Sankara and many others were assassinated for standing up for us. RGM is the only one alive. You and all current African leaders are puppets of a white man.
Standing for you??? while his family gets rich you must be joking…. its Africans like you who make these people act they way they do…
Just leave Zanu-PF. Ask Chishimba Kambwili in Zambia who also thought he was bigger than the party because of being one of the founder members
Where do you live bro/sis?
MIND YOU CK HAS GOT CHAGWA OFF HIS BACKSIDE, THE HOLIDAY IS OVER.
He should settle in Zambia, that’s were it all started.
Lombe the new mushota
Zimbabwe is a national of cowards-how can a dementiad stumbling old man like Mugabe, make almost half the population flee the country?
He is preparing to install his wife as president when he steps down and all the cowardly citizens can do is run away and beg for asylum in the UK, SA, etc , instead of fighting to kick out this old hopeless dictator.
Ma Ngolengole are simply a batch of cowards I do not feel sorry for….
You are welcome back to Zambia your second home sekuro! Mugabe must leave- he has destroyed that most beautiful country of stone! Zii-mbabwe – of stone!
Yes he is welcome but do you think HE Jonathan Lungu will keep him safe? Lungu is an apprentice of Sekuru Mugabe.
Another Kambwili…. fight on Cde and liberate Zimbabwe from this devil
Kikikikikiki…..!This Mnangagwa guy must be a great comedian indeed. For donkey ages he has been with zanu-pf, he was busy eating with uncle bob. Now that he has been kicked out, he has suddenly seen a vision for a better Zimbabwe. Bwana hamba lapa wena.
Exactly , he was part of destroying a once rich country only second to South Africa.
He is behaving like Chishimba Kambwili. After being FIRED that’s when he started to see corruption in PF.
We zambians have been keeping freedom fighters for a long time. Have they ever repaid us the countries that we have liberated?
THAT’S THE PROBLEM WITH US ZAMBIANS INFERIORITY COMPLEX TOO MUCH, HOW CAN YOU BE ASKING FOR CRUMBS FROM KIDS YOU LIBERATED. WE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE SEEKING POSITION ON THE SECURITY COUNCIL. THIS PLACE SHOULD BE AN ECONOMIC HUB.
GOOD COMMENT, Bowise. YOU HELP NOT TO BE PAID OR REPAID. BEING PAID FOR CHOOSING TO HELP IS NOT IN THE AFRICAN, ESPECIALLY, ZAMBIAN CULTURE. HOW MUCH DO YOU THINK WILL BE EQUIVALENT TO SACRIFFISING ZAMBIANS LIVES AND PROPERTY IF WE HAD TO BE PAID FOR THE CHOICE WE MADE OURSELVES? CAN THE VERY FEW PEOPLE WHO TALK ABOUT BEING PAID COME UP WITH THE FIGURE, PLEASE? ZAMBIA IS A LAND OF NUMEROUS NATURAL RESOURCE- INSTEAD OF F00LISHLY CRYING ABOUT BEING PAID FOR HELPING OUR BROTHERS AND SISTER, WE SHOULD BE USING OUR BRAINS TO TRANSFORM OUR ABUNDANT HUMAN AND NATURAL RESOURCES INTO EDIBLE FOOD AND DRINK, SERVICES, GOOD WE CAN USE AND SELL TO OTHER COUNTRIES, ETC. PLEASE, YOU FEW PEOPLE WHO ASK FOR REPAYMENT/PAYMENT, DONNOT INCLUDE ME IN REPAYMENT/PAYMENT F00LISH SENTIMENTS. I DO NOT NEED TO BE…
…PLEASE, YOU FEW PEOPLE WHO ASK FOR REPAYMENT/PAYMENT, DONNOT INCLUDE ME IN REPAYMENT/PAYMENT F00LISH SENTIMENTS. I DO NOT NEED TO BE PAID FOR CHOOSING TO HELP BROTHERS AND SISTERS. ALL I NEED IS UNITY WITH THEM.
Now that he is kicked out he wants to be all holy.
Hehehe! Talk of empty promises like CK. So where is CK now? He thought he was bigger than PF but now he is just another lost extra – like a headless chicken, and PF is still alive and squeezing his bolls.
What a disaster!
What’s happening in Zim z not new,this z wat happens wen rule of law z not observed. I wish u all the best big man en plz don’t dare go back to Zim remember wat happened to tswangarayi.mind u u are more than welcome to Zambia.
The harder they come, the harder they fall.
Emmerson mungagwa would have been wiser to say he supports a new generation of young zim rulers to take the country into the next centuary instead of trying to glorify and clinging on to an era of governance that has destroyed a once prosperous country….
His letter would bring tears to your eyes until you think about how he has been a willing deputy to the mad murderer, destroyer of Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe, for decades ending last week. But his expulsion is a pity nevertheless: his replacement will perhaps turn out to be an even more brutal tyrant than her husband – mark my words.
SIR MY QUESTION WILL BE WHY ARE YOU SAYING ALL THIS NOW? , (DNT GET ME WRONG YOU’RE RIGHT BUT WHY RE U SAYING IT NOW) YOU WERE VP YOU KEPT LOYAL TO THE SAME MAN YOU NOW TALK TRASH ABOUT , IS IT BECAUSE IT AFFECTS YOU AND YOU FAMILY? IF YOU WERE NOT TO BE SACKED WOULD YOU BE CALLING MEMBERS OF YOUR PARTY AND YOU FELLOW CITIZENS TO STAND UP AGAINST ROBERT? I THINK YOU ARE BEING SELFISH AS HE IS.
ZAMBIA, ZAMBIA, today Mnangagwa has even remembered this COUNTRY OF REFUGEE TO MANY!! WHO IN SOUTHERN AFRICA NEVER CAME TO OR NEVER BENEFITED FROM ZAMBIA’S GENEROSITY, YET VERY FEW REMEMBER OUR COUNTRY IN THEIR TIMES OF GLORY!! NONE HAS DECIDED TO MAKE A THANKFUL GESTURE EVEN IN KIND!!
Mugabe has turned Zim into a decrepit personal fiefdom devoid of rule of law is null and void plus Zim’s national interests made subservient to personal greed.No man should be allowed to hold millions hostage like that.
Fight Mugabe ad depose him! I laugh at how some Zambians comment even on things?
Some of you are busy ARM-CHAIR -CRITICS of Mugabe -shame! HOW MANY of YOU have fathers THE likes of MUGABE, with the EXOTIC MELACHOLIC GENES , ( genes for the most intelligent progeny)And how MANY of YOU have FATHERS with HIGH INTELLIGENT QUOTIENT above 150? MUGABE has spend HIS HEROIC LIFE and POLITICAL ADVENTURE in hand of the white supremacist in ROUGHSHODS for the past 2 decades AND HE has emerged as an ARTISTIC POLITICAL LEADER more than 100 times than YOUR below average FATHERS and for that,HE WILL DIE A HERO ON the continent of AFRICA.(now compare to your fathers’ achievement)
It is too late Mr Mnangagwa now, you are alone and you’ve nobody will sympathies with you. You’ve been dining with the devil’s cousin (uncle Bob) for decades. Your crocodile tears won’t help either. Now, you docile Zimbabweans don’t flee your country again but fight this monster man Mugabe, maybe through civil disobedience (we’ve done it before in Zambia, ask Dr Kaunda & the late Dr Chiluba) before he hands over the reigns to his Jezebel wife; your situation will be worse than it is now. God bless Zimbabwe!
You mean there are NO younger ones with running blood to take over the remains of this once great Nation? At 75 you still want to get richer. What is it that you didn’t do while under Mugabe which you now want to champion? At least you can manage to run away but what about that poor soul, where is it gonna hide?
Rigging started a long time ago. EMMERSON EVEN ADMITS HE ENROLLED AS A UNIP YOUTH AND POSSIBLY USED TO VOTE THE EARLIER DAYS WHEN OUR SUPPER KEN RECORDED 98% YES VOTES Against the unknown. National Registration Office!!! Now u see what u did. In Europe such crimes would still haunt u even two decades down the line
$1.2 zebigie, Yes he’s Zims equivalent of Kambwili . This Emerson was so arrogant. He hounded many people out ZanuPF hoping that Mugabe would eventually hand the power to him. It’s reported that last week he saw inganga to tell him when Mugabe was going to die, but the inganga reported this Mugabe. Same as MC thought during the third term fiasco : pretend to support and remain alone for the position. He created a monster and it has devoured him.
“Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely” So goes the saying.
This is what happens when there is NO Rule of Law in a Country. Even the so-called older and supposedly mature men and women who, by African traditional etiquette are expected to be wise with age, get corrupted by absolute power and abuse it for personal gain.
One thing that comes out is that there is a state capture in Zimbabwe by a few people with selfish interests led by one Grace. Very sad! God help Zimbabwe while Uncle Bob watches like a helpless grandfather.
God help Zimbabwe!
Zimbabweans are docile people indeed, when you meet them the way they toot their hones, you might think they have arrived. Very disappointing chaps. The way they freeze when amnesia Bob speaks. Kanapanda wanga wokwana kamambala, Mubemba ati seleni tubombeko. Wapya munzi ku Zimbabwe
Zimbabweans are not clever. they continue singing Mugabe. than removing him. We removed Super KEN coz of OVERSTAYING. MUGABE HAS ALSO OVERSTAYED