Harare – Zimbabwe’s embattled Deputy President Emmerson Mnangagwa has denied allegations of plotting to topple President Robert Mugabe, according to report on Friday.
According to NewsDay, Mnangagwa claimed the accusations were aimed at driving a wedge between him and Mugabe and a ploy to distracting him from carrying out his mandate of securing food for the bankrupt southern African country.
“Do I look like I care? I am not moved by those false allegations. They can continue barking, barking and barking, while I continue working for Zanu-PF and my president,” Mnangagwa was quoted as saying.
According to New Zimbabwe, Manicaland Provincial Affairs Minister Mandi Chimene called on Mugabe to expel Mnangagwa from the ruling Zanu-PF and government as he was fuelling divisions within the party.
Chimene was quoted as saying that if Mugabe was unable to expel Mnangagwa, then he should call for an extra-ordinary party conference to enable Zanu-PF to do so.
This comes as tensions between Mugabe and his staunch supporters, the country's war veterans, have escalated.
According to a report, a group of disgruntled war veterans issued a statement last Thursday slamming Mugabe's "dictatorial tendencies" and accused him of presiding over a declining economy.
The veterans of the country's 1970s liberation war vowed they would not support him if he sought re-election in 2018.
The veterans recently endorsed Mnangagwa as Mugabe’s successor after their indaba with Mugabe, News24 reported
According to the former freedom fighters, Mnangagwa was next in line to take over the presidency. They said their decision to endorse Mnangagwa was irreversible.
However, a group of Young Turks known as the generation 40 (G40) was intent on blocking his ascendancy into the presidency.
The G40 was pushing for first lady Grace to be the next deputy president, thus positioning her to eventually succeed the ailing president.
